''So Long at the Fair'' (US re-release title ''The Black Curse'') is a 1950 British

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

directed by Terence Fisher and Antony Darnborough, and starring

Jean Simmons Jean Merilyn Simmons, (31 January 1929 – 22 January 2010) was a British actress and singer. One of J. Arthur Rank's "well-spoken young starlets", she appeared predominantly in films, beginning with those made in Great Britain during and aft ...

and

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as '' Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Org ...

. It was adapted from the 1947 novel of the same name by Anthony Thorne.

Origin

The general plot derives from what appears to be a 19th-century

urban legend An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...

, known variously as "The Vanishing Hotel Room" or "The Vanishing Lady", which has inspired several fictional works. The first published version of the story was written by Nancy Vincent McClelland as "A Mystery of the Paris Exposition" in ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pen ...

'' dated 14 November 1897. It next appeared in the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primar ...

'' in 1898 as "Porch Tales: The Disappearance of Mrs. Kneeb", by Kenneth Herford. The German author Anselma Heine's novel ''Die Erscheinung'' (1912) covers the same idea, and it was filmed as a segment called 'The Apparition" in '' Unheimliche Geschichten (Uncanny stories)'' (1919, remake 1932). Belloc Lowndes' 1913 novel ''

The End of Her Honeymoon ''The End of Her Honeymoon'' is a 1913 novel by the British writer Marie Belloc Lowndes Marie Adelaide Elizabeth Rayner Lowndes (née Belloc; 5 August 1868 – 14 November 1947), who wrote as Marie Belloc Lowndes, was a prolific English nov ...

'' also contains the tale, as does Lawrence Rising's 1920 ''She Who Was Helena Cass,'' Sir Basil Thomson's 1925 ''The Vanishing of Mrs. Fraser,'' and

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...

's 1926 '' The Torrents of Spring''. The German film ''

Covered Tracks ''Covered Tracks'' (german: Verwehte Spuren) is a 1938 German historical drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Kristina Söderbaum, Philip Dorn, and Charlotte Schultz. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin's Halensee and the Bavar ...

'' (1938) was based on the story, with a script by

Thea von Harbou Thea Gabriele von Harbou (27 December 1888 – 1 July 1954) was a German screenwriter, novelist, film director, and actress. She is remembered as the screenwriter of the science fiction film classic '' Metropolis'' (1927) and for the 1 ...

, and portions of the idea also featured in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's 1938 film '' The Lady Vanishes''. The radio play "Cabin B-13" by John Dickson Carr tells a similar story. It aired three times in the series ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being Decision-making, undecided, or being Doubt, doubtful. In a Drama, dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the wikt:outcome, outcome of a plot (narrative), plot or of the solution t ...

'' (twice in 1943 and once in 1949), and gave rise its own short-lived mystery radio series, ''Cabin B-13'', after which it was adapted for television as "Cabin B-13" in the series ''Climax!'' (1958). It was then filmed as the theatrical release '' Dangerous Crossing'' (1953) and as the television movie ''Treacherous Crossing'' (1992). On television, both the episode "Into Thin Air" (1955) of the anthology-series ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'' and the episode "The Disappearance" (1967) of the TV-series ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour ...

'' were based on the same tale. Later followed "Maybe You Will Remember", a variation told in Alvin Schwartz's book '' Scary Stories 3'' (1991). The film's title derives from the

nursery rhyme A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and many other countries, but usage of the term dates only from the late 18th/early 19th century. The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with nursery rhymes. From ...

Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be? "Oh, Dear! What Can the Matter Be?", also known as "Johnny's So Long at the Fair" is a traditional nursery rhyme that can be traced back as far as the 1770s in England. There are several variations on its lyrics. It has Roud Number 1279. Hist ...

Plot

In 1889, young Englishwoman Vicky Barton (Simmons) and her brother Johnny ( David Tomlinson) arrive in Paris to see the Exposition Universelle. This is Vicky's first time in Paris, and after checking into a hotel, she drags her tired brother to dinner and the famous Moulin Rouge. She finally retires for the night, while Johnny has a late-night drink. When English painter George Hathaway (Bogarde) drops off his girlfriend, Rhoda O'Donovan (

Honor Blackman Honor Blackman (22 August 1925 – 5 April 2020) was an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in '' The Avengers''Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 58. (1962 ...

), and her mother ( Betty Warren) at the hotel, he asks Johnny for change for a 100 franc note to pay a carriage driver; Johnny lends him 50 francs and gives him his name and room number. The next morning, Vicky finds a blank wall where Johnny's room used to be. When she questions hotel owner and manager Madame Hervé ( Cathleen Nesbitt), the latter claims she arrived alone. The room number now adorns the common bathroom. Madame Hervé's brother Narcisse (Marcel Pontin) and the day porter (

Eugene Deckers Eugene Francis Deckers (22 October 1917, in Antwerp – 1977, in Paris, France) was a Belgian actor. Career After establishing himself on the British stage, Deckers made his first English language film appearance in 1946. Formerly a romantic ...

) back up her story. Frantic, Vicky goes to see the British consul ( Felix Aylmer), followed secretly by Narcisse. She has no proof of her brother's existence, so the consul can only suggest she find a witness, Nina (

Zena Marshall Zena Moyra Marshall (1 January 1926 – 10 July 2009) was a British actress of film and television, who was born in Kenya. Early years Marshall was of English, Irish and (on her mother's side) French descent. Though born in Kenya, after her ...

), the hotel maid who attended her. Nina had informed her that she was going up in a balloon with her boyfriend at the Exposition that day. Tragically, she is too late. Before she can talk to Nina, the balloon ascends, bursts into flames, and plummets to the ground, killing the two passengers. Vicky tries the French police commissaire ( Austin Trevor). He questions Madame Hervé and her brother, but can find nothing amiss in their story. Since her room has been reserved for only two nights, Vicky has to leave the hotel. Madame Hervé offers her a ticket home to England, which she is forced to accept, as she has little money left. However, unbeknownst to either party, Rhoda O'Donovan has been asked by George Hathaway to deliver a letter containing his loan repayment to Johnny. Not finding his room, Rhoda slips the envelope under Vicky's door, where she finds it. Vicky goes to see George. When he confirms having met her brother, she bursts into tears. He offers his assistance. George notices there are six balconies, but only five rooms on the floor, and finds the missing hotel room, the entrance having been covered over to be part of the wall. Under questioning by the police, Madame Hervé reveals where Johnny has been taken. It turns out that he became sick with

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium ('' Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as wel ...

during the night. The news would have been disastrous for the Exposition, so he was secretly taken away to a hospital. George brings along Doctor Hart ( André Morell), who tells Vicky her brother has a chance of living.

Cast

as Vicky Barton *

as George Hathaway * David Tomlinson as Johnny Barton *Marcel Poncin as Narcisse * Cathleen Nesbitt as Madame Hervé *

as Rhoda O'Donovan * Betty Warren as Mrs. O'Donovan *

as Nina *

as Day Porter * Felix Aylmer as British Consul * André Morell as Doctor Hart * Austin Trevor as Police Commissaire *Natasha Sokolova as Charlotte * Nelly Arno as Madame Verni

Music

The music, by

Benjamin Frankel Benjamin Frankel (31 January 190612 February 1973) was a British composer. His best known pieces include a cycle of five string quartets, eight symphonies, and concertos for violin and viola. He was also notable for writing over 100 film scores ...

, includes a sequence accompanying a ride in a carriage which went on to become a popular light concert item under the title ''Carriage and Pair''.

Production

Betty Box was appointed producer at the last minute when Antony Darborough was held up on '' The Astonished Heart''. The film was to have cast

Françoise Rosay Françoise Rosay (; born Françoise Bandy de Nalèche; 19 April 1891 – 28 March 1974) was a French opera singer, diseuse,''Design'', Volume 9 1965 p. 24 and actress who enjoyed a film career of over sixty years and who became a legendary figur ...

but she dropped out to go to Hollywood. It was shot at

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

Cedric Dawe Cedric Dawe (1906–1996) was a British art director. He worked on the set design of over sixty films during his career, spending many years working for ABPC at the company's Elstree and Welwyn Studios. He was praised for his realistic designs f ...

and George Provis. The costumes were designed by Elizabeth Haffenden.

Reception

The film performed solidly at the box office.

References

External links

*
So Long at the Fair at ''Film Fanatic''So Long at the Fair at ''Turner Classic Movies''The Vanishing Hotel Room
on Urban Legends Reference Pages (snopes.com) {{Gainsborough Pictures 1950 films 1950s historical thriller films British historical thriller films British mystery thriller films 1950s mystery thriller films Films directed by Terence Fisher Films about missing people Films based on British novels Films based on urban legends Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films produced by Sydney Box Films produced by Betty Box Films scored by Benjamin Frankel Films set in 1889 Films set in Paris Gainsborough Pictures films British black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films Locked-room mysteries