The Passing of the Third Floor Back

1935

DramaFantasyRomance

The tenants of an old London boarding house spend their time in petty bickering and sniping until a mysterious stranger arrives at their door.

Rating

7.6
10 votes

Popularity

0.3178

Origin & Countries

USGB | en | United Kingdom

Production

Gaumont-British Picture Corporation

Runtime

90 min.

Status

Released

Release: 9/1/1935

Credits

The Passing of the Third Floor Back

Berthold ViertelDirector

The Passing of the Third Floor Back

Conrad VeidtThe Stranger

The Passing of the Third Floor Back

Rène RayStasia

The Passing of the Third Floor Back

Frank CellierWright

The Passing of the Third Floor Back

Anna LeeVivian Tomkin

More like this

Road to St. Tropez
4
0
The Spy in Black
1939
War • Thriller
6.4
0
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
1920
Drama • Horror • Thriller • Crime
7.9
2
Titanic
1953
Drama • Romance
6.6
2
X-Men: The Last Stand
2006
Adventure • Action • Science Fiction • Thriller
6.4
0

Reviews

CinemaSerf

6/19/2022

7 / 10

Don't be put off by the rather unhelpful title. This is quite a clever story of man's inhumanity to his fellow creature. Frank Cellier is ""Wright" by name, but seldom by nature in this tale of a group of lodgers living in his old London boarding house. The occupant's lives vacillate between occasional joy but mostly misery, and he relishes in prolonging the latter states of affairs - especially for the young kitchen maid "Stasia" (a good effort here from Rene Ray) who lives an almost "Cinderella" style existence. Then a stranger - Conradt Veidt - arrives amongst their number, and slowly but surely things start to take turn for the better for many of his colleagues. This new found happiness doesn't suit "Wright" and soon he is plotting the downfall of the newcomer, too. It's quite a basic, stage-bound, production, and many of the stars cut their teeth in that medium between the wars - Anna Lee, Cathleen Nesbitt and the instantly recognisable Sarah Allgood, so know their business well enough. Each character has their few moments in the sun as Veidt tries to help them to help themselves, not by giving them cash or jobs, but by empowering them to take control of their own lives more - and his approach is surprisingly effective. Veidt is perfectly attired, aloof and debonaire with this performance, yet he does illuminate each scene with an intimacy. A kindness, maybe angelic or maybe just something more down to Earth - a decency of heart and spirit. Cellier's portrayal of the odious, manipulative landlord ought not to be overlooked either, he manages quite successfully to get your heckles up before a suitably fitting ending!

MOVIZZ - all rights reserved @ 2025

Made with themoviedb.org