Thunderstorm (film)

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Thunderstorm
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Guillermin
Written byDaniel Mainwaring
George St George
Produced byBinnie Barnes
StarringCarlos Thompson
Linda Christian
Charles Korvin
Music byPaul Misraki
Production
company
Hemisphere Pictures
Distributed byBritish Lion Films[1]
Release date
  • 22 June 1956 (1956-06-22)
Running time
81 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Thunderstorm (also known as Tormenta) is a 1956 British drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring Carlos Thompson, Linda Christian, and Charles Korvin.[2] It was made by British Lion Films.

Plot summary[edit]

Maria is a mysterious beautiful girl discovered unconscious and alone on board a small damaged yacht at sea. A group of fishermen, including Diego, take Maria back to the nearest coastal Spanish fishing village for her to recover and offer to repair her small yacht.

All of the men in the village are infatuated with Maria, but the women view her with jealousy and suspicion, saying that she is a curse on their village and blaming her for the recent lack of fish on which the village solely relies. When Maria is attacked by a mob of village women tearing her hair and clothes and bruising her, the local Padre saves her. The film ends with Maria quietly leaving by setting out to sea in her repaired small yacht with Diego watching from the small harbour.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In April 1955 it was announced the film would be made by Hemisphere Productions, the company of Mike Frankovich.[3] Filming would take place in London and Spain with Carlos Thompson and Linda Christian starring. Allied Artists were to distribute in the western hemisphere, British Lion in England and Columbia elsewhere. The script was to be by Geoffrey Holmes (the nom de plume for Daniel Mainwaring).[4]

The official producer was Binnie Barnes and Victor Pahlen.[5]

It was John Guillermin's return to features after directing TV for a time.[6]

Reception[edit]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "John Guillermin perceptively evokes the enclosed life of a Spanish fishing village and tells his simple tale with economy and precision, giving it a lifelike air of improvisation. The non-Spanish leading players fit convincingly into the background and give persuasive, well-contrasted performances. This is a refreshingly individual and unpretentious production."[7]

Variety wrote: "[the] mood is a bit heavy, but goes with the story melodramatics."[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Thunderstorm". TCM. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Thunderstorm". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  3. ^ Louella Parsons: Spence Signs for "The Mountain", The Washington Post and Times-Herald, 30 Mar 1955: 54.
  4. ^ Warners Launches TV Filming; Exotic Find Hailed for 'Teahouse' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 8 Apr 1955: B7.
  5. ^ 'World Without End' New Super Science Feature; Jagger in 'Durango' Film Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 28 June 1955: 13.
  6. ^ Vagg, Stephen (17 November 2020). "John Guillermin: Action Man". Filmink.
  7. ^ "Thunderstorm". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 23 (264): 79. 1 January 1956 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ "Thunderstorm". Variety. 203 (3): 6. 20 June 1956 – via ProQuest.

External links[edit]