CALLUM MCKELVIE'S CUSHING SUNDAY FEATURE: FLAMES GAMES AND PASSION! SHE HAS IT ALL!!

ANOTHER TRIP DOWN memory lane this week, examining a film that, although not strictly a horror picture, has become one of my all-time favourite Cushing roles. More than that it’s a film that represents what can be described as a ‘by-gon’e age of fiction, both literary and cinematically, that of the ‘Boys Own’ style adventure story. Produced in 1965, She was one of Hammer films most expensive productions and certainly one of their most lavish. Featuring an all-star cast, including ex-bond girl Ursula Andress as the title character, it’s a bold move for the studio and one that demonstrates that they really could compete with the big boys and weren’t just up to making horror pictures. I saw She during my early teens, when I became fascinated with the science fiction and fantasy of the Victorian age and of course the wonderful films of the 50’s and 60’s based on these works.

FROM THE EARLY 1950’s all the way to the mid 1970’s, there was a slew of science fiction, fantasy and adventure styled films based on the works of classic Victorian writers and adapted as period pieces. Amongst these were the works of such noted authors as H.G Welles, Jules Verne. Arthur Conan Doyle and the subject of todays piece H. Rider Haggard. These films were extravagant adventure films, with often fantastic set designs and equally superb casts. Amongst these films include such classics as Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1959), The Time Machine (1960), First Men in the Moon (1964), At The Earth’s Core (1976) and The Lost World (1960). 

DURING MY OBSESSION with this fascinating sub-genre I saw all of these and more, including films like Walt Disney’s wonderful adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The latter is still one of my favourite films and James Masons portrayal is evident of the quality that was brought to this kind of film. It’s a genre that has, somewhat sadly, faded into the past. Partly this is due to the more dynamic difference between children’s and adult cinema, with family films now being dominated primarily by the Superhero genre. Also it can be connected to the dated colonial subtext of many of these films and their respective novels (though not all 20,000 Leagues is a wonderful piece of anti-colonial literature, with Nemo waging war against ‘that hated nation’).

MANY OF THESE FILMS helped me discovered the brilliant novels behind them and She is no exception. When I was first getting into Hammer, I purchased Marcus Hearn and Alan Barnes wonderful The Hammer Story, as something of a go-to guide. My Mother was fascinated upon discovering She was a Hammer film, it being something of a minor favourite of hers. That Christmas (along with The Reptile and Dracula: Prince of Darkness) 

I RECEIVED SHE as a gift and we watched it that boxing day. In my mind it’s still the perfect Boxing Day film, the mix of old fashioned adventure and pure wonder making great mid-afternoon viewing. Immediately I fell in love with Cushing’s portrayal of the character of Major Holly and the wonderful sincerity he brought to the role. When embarking on an exchange trip to Spain, I was inspired enough by the film to purchase the novel and well, I can safely say it’s a book that changed my life.

I HAVE SOMETHING of a theory that books read during ones formative years, if of significant quality will leave a lasting impression. Rider Haggard's She did that for me. Whilst certainly dated and having some….bizarre concepts (She herself being so beautiful that anyone who looks at her immediately falls in love- an idea thankfully scrapped in hammers film version) it’s still a wonderfully powerful exercise in fantasy. I have so many memories connected to that novel, reading it on the plane out loud to a friend and suddenly noticing that all the aisles surrounding me had gone quiet. Listening? Or wondering what the weird kid was doing reading out loud? I guess I’ll never know!

SADLY THOUGH, as grand and as wonderful as Hammers film version is, it simply couldn’t compete with the epic vistas presented in the novel. For the most part when reading there was very little I visualised from the film. I pictured a different woman to Ursula Andress (it may be sacrilege but I always found her portrayal a little stilted), the Balali of the novel is a kindly old man and so Christopher Lee was out too. All except Cushing. I’ve no idea if he read the book, though I suspect he did but he nails Rider Haggards portrayal instantly. Holly is the narrator and in many ways the main character of the novel and despite having slightly less to do in the film Cushing still manages to bring across the same sincerity and honesty that made him such a wonderful character.

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