The Rake's Progress (1945)
Director:
Sidney Gilliat
Writers:
Val Valentine (story), Sidney Gilliat (screenplay)
Stars:
Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer, Godfrey Tearle
Rex Harrison stars in this stylish British drama that caused problems with U.S. censors, who forced the film to be trimmed due to what was considered graphically amoral and sexual content for its time. Harrison is Vivian Kenway, an unrepentant cad who embarks on a campaign of irresponsible behavior after being ejected from Oxford. Among his many sins are seducing Jill Duncan (Jean Kent), the wife of his best friend Sandy (Griffith Jones), marrying a rich Austrian Jew, Rikki Krausner (Lilli Palmer), for her money, and dallying with the secretary (Margaret Johnson) of his father, Colonel Kenway (Godfrey Tearle). The feckless Vivian's actions cause no small amount of collateral damage to his loved ones, including the drunken death of his father and the attempted suicide of Rikki. Vivian ends up serving in World War II, however, where his non-heroic ultimate sacrifice may (or may not) redeem him. The Rake's Progress (1945) was released in the U.S. under the title Notorious Gentleman.
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 DVD, $9.99 (https://www.zeusdvds.com/the-rakes-progress-1945-dvd/))
