They Were Sisters casts Phyllis Calvert, Anne Crawford, and Dulcie Gray as three sisters who meet and marry their husbands right after World War I and the film is the story of the three marriages in those years between the World Wars. It's not unlike the Bette Davis-Errol Flynn film from Warner Brothers The Sisters. But believe me there are no characters in that one as dark and sinister as James Mason here.
Phyllis Calvert is the nice one, the real glue that holds the extended family together. She meets and marries Peter Murray-Hill who was her husband in real life. They have no children, but become everyone's favorite uncle and aunt.
Anne Crawford is a spoiled child of the Roaring Twenties who wants to have every man in a room drooling when she makes an entrance. She's an incurable flirt, but she marries Barrie Livesey who's a comfortable old soul even in his youth and who knows himself, he's as dull as drying paint. One flirtation with Hugh Sinclair does put the marriage at risk however. She also ignores her only daughter who finds her best times spent with Calvert.
Dulcie Gray when she's on steals the film. Before the term was invented Gray is the perfect picture of a battered wife. She marries James Mason who systematically lowers the self esteem of a kind and generous person, even in the eyes of the three children they have. Of course Mason also starts on them as well and the other sisters soon notice it.
Mason is also at his nastiest in They Were Sisters. Without ever doing anything really physical to Gray, his voice inflections and body language suggest a truly evil man. His oldest daughter is played by Pamela Kellino who soon afterwards became Mrs. Mason in real life.
They Were Sisters explores some themes that Hollywood was not touching on at this time. Very similar to that other Gainsborough film, Fanny By Gaslight which also starred Mason and Calvert. It's a strong and disturbing film even with child characters, not necessarily for kid's viewing.
Phyllis Calvert is the nice one, the real glue that holds the extended family together. She meets and marries Peter Murray-Hill who was her husband in real life. They have no children, but become everyone's favorite uncle and aunt.
Anne Crawford is a spoiled child of the Roaring Twenties who wants to have every man in a room drooling when she makes an entrance. She's an incurable flirt, but she marries Barrie Livesey who's a comfortable old soul even in his youth and who knows himself, he's as dull as drying paint. One flirtation with Hugh Sinclair does put the marriage at risk however. She also ignores her only daughter who finds her best times spent with Calvert.
Dulcie Gray when she's on steals the film. Before the term was invented Gray is the perfect picture of a battered wife. She marries James Mason who systematically lowers the self esteem of a kind and generous person, even in the eyes of the three children they have. Of course Mason also starts on them as well and the other sisters soon notice it.
Mason is also at his nastiest in They Were Sisters. Without ever doing anything really physical to Gray, his voice inflections and body language suggest a truly evil man. His oldest daughter is played by Pamela Kellino who soon afterwards became Mrs. Mason in real life.
They Were Sisters explores some themes that Hollywood was not touching on at this time. Very similar to that other Gainsborough film, Fanny By Gaslight which also starred Mason and Calvert. It's a strong and disturbing film even with child characters, not necessarily for kid's viewing.