The acting is first rate, as is most everything about the film. The thing that keeps it from greatness is mainly the fact that, despite its political stances on women’s rights and the evils of alcohol, there really is no deeper meaning to the film. Nor do we really get an ‘in’ to any of the three major characters. Yes, Mossop is malleable, but how many men of the 1800s would allow themselves to be bullied into marriage, sans a pregnancy? Maggie has a resolve, but we get little insight into her inner workings; even though a nice scene of their wedding night reveals a bit of their burgeoning real relationship. Only Hobson is fully sketched, but his character is a borderline parody, regardless of Laughton’s great acting job.
The forthcoming Criterion Collection DVD of the 108-minute movie is one of the best they’ve released in the last year or so. I’ve criticized the company for some of their skimping on the extra features in many new releases (many sans audio film commentaries), but this package, even though it does not have much in terms of quantity, makes up for it in quality.
First, there is a quite good film essay by critic Armond White that avoids all the clichés of puffery that adorn too many essays on film. There is a theatrical trailer, and an excellent 1978 BBC documentary on the life and career of Laughton. Short on the sort of fellatio that passes for reminiscence, this documentary is unusually clear on the pros and cons of Laughton’s life, temperament, bisexuality, and art.
The film itself, shown in 1.33:1 aspect ratio, has been restored by the BFI National Archive, and looks sterlingly crisp. But the best feature is an excellent audio commentary by film scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, who authored a book called David Lean And His Films. The duo are on point, in terms of both the background of the film and scene-specific comments, as well as not falling into the traps of running off at the mouths, leaving large gaps of silence, nor clogging the commentary with superfluous information.
Hobson’s Choice is not a highly regarded film in Lean’s canon, and in comparison to some of the aforementioned classics, the reason why is obvious — it’s only a very good film in a career littered with great works. But, it was recognized by the critics of the time, and won the 1954 Best Film Award from the British Academy of Film. The only negative in the film is the over the top burlesque music of Malcolm Arnold. Yes, the film is a comedy, but it’s nowhere near slapstick. That said, it is also an enjoyable film, and dominated by the female presence in the film, a rarity in Lean’s canon. A good film, an excellent ensemble of DVD features, and this bit of minor English film history becomes one of the better DVD releases in recent years. See for yourself, as it will soon be released to the general public. Now that’s a choice old Hobson could live with.
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