Thunder on the Hill

Thunder on the Hill
Directed by	Douglas Sirk
Produced by	Michael Kraike
Written by	Oscar Saul Andrew Solt Charlotte Hastings (play)
Starring	Claudette Colbert Ann Blyth Robert Douglas Gladys Cooper Michael Pate
Music by	Hans J. Salter
Cinematography	William H. Daniels
Edited by	Ted J. Kent
Production company	Universal-International
Distributed by	Universal-International
Release dates	October 17, 1951 (1951-10-17)
Running time	84 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2.5 million[1]

Thunder on the Hill is a 1951 mystery drama film directed by Douglas Sirk. The picture was made by Universal-International and produced by Michael Kraike from a screenplay by Oscar Saul and Andrew Solt, based on the play Bonaventure by Charlotte Hastings. The music score was by Hans J. Salter and the cinematography by William H. Daniels.

The film stars Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth with Robert Douglas, Gladys Cooper, Michael Pate, John Abbott and Norma Varden.

Plot

Sister Mary Bonaventure is in charge of the hospital ward of a convent in the county of Norfolk, England. She is troubled by her own sister's suicide, which she confides to her Mother Superior.

A torrential rain closes nearby roads, causing Sergeant Melling of the police to bring condemned murderer Valerie Carns there. She is being taken to prison.

Valerie was convicted of poisoning her brother Jason, a pianist. Jason's physician, Dr. Jeffreys, is head of the hospital where Sister Mary now works. Valerie still proclaims her innocence, but Jeffreys insists that she gave Jason a fatal overdose of his medicine.

A photograph of Jason clearly disturbs Isabel Jeffreys, the doctor's wife. He gives her a sedative. Valerie appeals to Sister Mary to bring her fiance, Sidney Kingham, to the convent to see her. A servant tells Sister Mary about the sadistic behavior of Jason Carns and produces a love letter to him, clearly written by Isabel.

Mother Superior is upset by Sister Mary's meddling. She burns the letter. The nun still intends to tell Melling the police sergeant what she knows.

Dr. Jeffreys is the one who gave Jason the fatal dose, and he might be slowly poisoning Isabel as well. He lures Sister Mary to a bell tower, where he attacks her. She rings the bell. Sidney hears it, rushes to her aid and overpowers Jeffreys, who is arrested by Melling.

Sister Mary's faith is restored, believing the rain that delivered Valerie to her to be divine intervention.

Cast

• Claudette Colbert as Sister Mary
• Ann Blyth as Valerie Carns
• Robert Douglas as Dr. Jeffreys
• Anne Crawford as Isabel Jeffreys
• Philip Friend as Sidney Kingham
• Gladys Cooper as Mother Superior
• Michael Pate as Willie
• John Abbott as Abel Harmer
• Connie Gilchrist as Sister Josephine
• Gavin Muir as Melling
• Phyllis Stanley as Nurse Phillips
• Norma Varden as Pierce
• Valerie Cardew as Nurse Colby
• Queenie Leonard as Mrs. Smithson
• Patrick O'Moore as Mr. Smithson

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thunder on the Hill.

• Thunder on the Hill at the TCM Movie Database
• Thunder on the Hill at the Internet Movie Database
• Thunder on the Hill at AllMovie
• Thunder on the Hill at Rotten Tomatoes