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Film: Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn
Year: 1935
Director: Milton Rosmer
Writer: Randall Faye
Starring: Tod Slaughter, Sophie Stewart and D.J. Williams
Review:
This is a film that I found when compiling my list of horror from 1935. The title was long, which piqued my interest. I was able to find this streaming on Tubi, which made it easy to seek out. Now this isn’t listed as horror on the Internet Movie Database, but it is on Letterboxd. I’m still including it into my research for that reason.
Synopsis: in 1820s rural England, a young girl is tricked by a villainous squire’s promise of marriage and when she becomes pregnant and disappears, a Romani lad is blamed.
Now this has an interesting way to begin. We see members of an orchestra and a man comes out to introduce the cast. It then jumps into the story. We’re at the red barn from the title. There is a party with merriment and dancing. Maria Marten (Sophie Stewart) has caught the interest of Carlos (Eric Portman). The problem is that he’s a Romani so this upsets her father, Thomas (D.J. Williams). She’s also caught the interest of the local squire, William Corder (Tod Slaughter).
We then see her at home, talking to her mother, Mrs. Marten (Clare Greet). She tells her that she’s off to choir practice. In reality, she goes to the home of Corder. It cuts away and goes back to her home as her father returns. His wife tells her where Maria has gone, which causes him to pause. The practice was canceled. He believes she’s off with Carlos. He seeks out the local magistrate, who turns out to be Corder.
On her way home, she is stopped by Carlos. This encounter puts her father in a rage as he assumes they’ve been together the whole time. Thomas tells this to Corder whose hands are tied. He’s already told Maria he plans to marry her so he remembers what Thomas told him.
We then see Corder gambling with friends. They’re playing what my guess is an early form of craps. Corder loses and tries to win his money back. He loses again to which he immediately requests double or nothing. He’s told that if he loses this round, he’ll be in ruin. That’s what happens, he does have a plan though. He asks Maud Sennett (Antonia Brough) to marry him. She has a large sum of money she will inherit. Her dowry is enough to cover his debts.
Upon learning of his plan, this puts Maria into a depression. Even more so when she reveals to her mother that she’s with child. She hasn’t revealed who the father is. Thomas overhears and kicks her out of the house. She seeks refuge with Corder who wants her to leave at once. He will meet up with her later. As she goes, she gives him the ultimatum. Marry her or she’ll reveal he’s the father. He comes up with a dastardly plan, having Carlos to pin it on. There is evidence that is left behind that could incriminate him if he can’t get to it before it is found.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is with the gimmick of introducing the actors ahead of starting the story. It doesn’t hurt or hinder the overall product. I did confirm that this was originally a stage production. The limited sets and how the story is crafted, lend well to that. It does appear that it is also based on a true crime that happened.
Now that I have that set up, let me delve more into the story that we’re getting here. Maria loves Carlos and Corder. Corder is wealthy and important, making him an intriguing choice for Maria. He promises her marriage and to move to London. It does seem that she shares a more natural connection with Carlos, but his group seems nomadic, which introduces a racial barrier. Thomas is upset about their relationship, likely due to racism.
There’s another element here with Corder. He sees him as he makes lofty promises to Maria. There is gaslighting that comes with this. Thomas and the other people in town look up to him. Part of it is that he’s wealthy. He’s also a squire and the local magistrate. These are all things that he uses to manipulate people. It is interesting to bring back Thomas when he comes to Corder, telling of his suspicions when the man he’s talking to is the one that did these things. That adds to the tension.
That should be enough for the story so let’s go over to the acting performances. The film excels as a character study of Corder, who initially appears respectable and caring towards Maria before his true nature is revealed. Stewart portrays Maria as a naive woman who eventually asserts herself. Williams' performance as a harsh yet loving father adds to the heartbreak. Portman effectively portrays a character who genuinely cares for Maria. The supporting cast, including Greet, completes the ensemble.
All that is left then is the filmmaking aspects. Now when this was made it was limited by technology. The framing and cinematography were fine. Like I’ve said, this feels like a stage play that is just expanded. They do capture the era that it was set. This is limited in the effects used. I did like the matching pistols Corder had. The only other thing would be the music and the sound design, which were fine. It didn’t stand out or hurt the overall product.
In conclusion, this offers a compelling, albeit tragic, narrative of deception and manipulation. Its origins as a stage production are clear in its structure and limited sets, the film effectively conveys its 1820s English setting and the dramatic unfolding of events. The strong character performances, particularly Slaughter's portrayal of the villainous Corder, elevate the story and provide a nuanced exploration of human nature. Despite technological limitations of its time, the film remains a noteworthy piece that skillfully blends character study with a gripping, true crime-inspired plot, making it a surprisingly engaging watch.
My Rating: 7 out of 10