Cape Forlorn

This, the uncut version of Cape Forlorn, was banned in Australia upon its original release apparently due to its amoral storyline.

Based on a play by Frank Harvey, almost the entire story is set on an isolated lighthouse off the New Zealand coast. The film, however, begins on the mainland, and with some very nifty camera angles at that. As the camera enters a lively bar, with guests comprised of local whites and some exotic beauties (presumably of Maori origin), we follow the imaginary viewfinder as its pans around and into the various niches and corners of the premise. Finally, the motion stops and two women are seen chatting at a table over a drink. One of the women is Eileen (Fay Compton), a cabaret dancer who is soon to marry William Kell (Frank Harvey again)), a lighthouse keeper considerably older and also not half as much fun as she is. As her friend foretells her: “You’ll be back here before the year is over!”
On the aside: quite why this bubbly cabaret dancer ends up marrying the introvert and not particularly handsome man is never really explained, well, the playwright would know the answer.

Cue forward, and Eileen now lives a drab and boring life in the isolated lighthouse – doing the cooking, the cleaning, and other tasks that seem more chore than fun. That’s what you get from leaving the razzle-dazzle of the cabaret! As her husband’s assistant, Henry Cass (Edmund Willard), points out to her: “Whichever way you turn, and whichever way you look, all you get to see morning till night is the sea!” To liven things up a little, Cass starts to make advances… at first, Eileen mock-ignores them, but her mood changes when Cass promises her a life full of nice things on a fabulous horse ranch… a ranch which he plans on purchasing in Australia. Meeting secretly at night, Cass provides the love- and excitement starved young woman with a good time, even if only for a couple of hours. That is until the dashingly handsome Gordon Kingsley (Ian Hunter) enters the picture. Kingsley, an absconder rescued from the wreck of a motor launch, and Eileen soon become entangled in a passionate affair, much to the jealousy of Cass. In one brief moment of moral guilt, Eileen remembers she’s a married woman and tries to re-kindle the dwindling feelings for her husband, who by the way is utterly oblivious as to what is going on behind his back. He’s also utterly oblivious to his wife’s needs. Trying to titillate her hubby, she applies copious amounts of slap on her face and dresses alluringly, even provoking him to touch her precious silk stockings. Alas, all she manages is to enrage Kell who angrily grabs a towel, wipes the make-up off his wife’s face, and chucks her toiletries over board. Suffice to say that this was the last straw for his long suffering wife, now adamant that the only way forward is to run off with her lover. Unfortunately for Cass, she chooses Kingsley over him. The two men become embroiled in a bitter quarrel during which Eileen, in blind panic, shoots and accidentally kills Cass. Now that both are ‘partners in crime’ and escape seems the only redemption, fate holds yet another twist in store. The authorities are closing in and Kingsley, initially wanted for theft, pretends that he shot Cass when he threatened Eileen. Thus the very words which we heard at the beginning become true… the year is not over yet, and Eileen is back again on the mainland, in the same bar in which we first got introduced to her. This time she is drinking alone, and day after day she is waiting for her lover to get released from jail. Suddenly, Kells enters the bar by chance and takes place at a table next to her. When Eileen attempts to make friendly conversation with him, she keeps on explaining the whole sordid story from her viewpoint, all the while not even realising that Kells has long gotten up and left the bar in disgust.

Directed by German film pioneer E.A. Dupont, Cape Forlorn was released in tri-lingual versions, namely in German (Menschen im Käfig) and in French (Le Cap Perdu). Each version also starred different actors.

This brand-new digital transfer presents the film uncut and in its as-exhibited aspect ratio. The DVD contains no bonus material.