The Light that Failed (1939)

'The Light That Failed' is a romantic and dramatic film made in 1939, directed by William Wellman and starring Ronald Colman, Walter Huston, Muriel Angelus and Ida Lupino. The movie is based on the 1891 novel of the same name by Rudyard Kipling.(his first full length novel) and remains faithful to the original.

Plot

The action of the movie is set in the late-Victorian Colonial period. Dick Heldar, played by Ronald Coleman, is a former war correspondent and aspiring artist, who saves the life of a fellow soldier, Topenhow, played by Walter Huston. Heldar's eyesight is damaged and begins to fail him. He has just enough time to finish an important painting of Cockney model Betsy Broke, played by Ida Lupino, whilst pining for the love of his life, Maisie, played by Muriel Angelus.

Production

There was on-set friction between Ronald Coleman and director Willia Wellman as Colman wanted Vivien Leigh to play Betsy. Wellman wanted Ida Lupino. He won and there was a difficult atmosphere on set. Ida Lupino got her big break as Coleman's model This part established her as one of the all-time great Bad Girls, beautiful and strong enough to make over-the-top hysteria seem like bravura acting..