[6]

Part ghost story, part wartime propaganda flick, this heady British production is truly an unusual find. Michael Redgrave plays an American lighthouse keeper who has withdrawn from the world. Having lost all faith in humanity, especially in light of the imminent Nazi blitzkrieg, it’s up to the deceased crew of a sunken ship to restore the lighthouse keeper’s faith.

Thunder Rock is a very odd film, but very interesting as a time capsule. It practically functions as a telegram from Britain to 1942 America: Don’t give up, Help us fight! The second half of the film is flashback heavy, as the lighthouse keeper is led by the ghostly ship captain on a Christmas Carol-esque exploration through the lives of the ship’s passengers. He learns why they chose to flee the old world for America, each having given up on a different social struggle. Unfortunately, the movie begins to crumble under the weight of its many messages, which range from feminism to the morality of scientific progress. The execution is stagey at times and the soundtrack feels like stock music, but there’s some inventive use of light and shadow and good performances from Redgrave, James Mason, and Finlay Currie.