Tweet 21 DAYS or 21 DAYS TOGETHER

If you ever wondered what Vivien Leigh did as a follow-up to Gone with the Wind, it was apparently a little murder melodrama called 21 Days or 21 Days Together. It was released April 1940, followed closely by Waterloo Bridge, which was released May 1940 (in the USA).

Leigh stars with Laurence Olivier (whom she married in August 1940) as a tragic pair of lovers who are surprised by Leigh's husband (Esme Percy) she hasn't seen in years. He intends to blackmail them, but Olivier goes into a rage and accidentally kills him. He plants the body outside and a poor ex-vicar is charged with his murder. Olivier's barrister older brother (Leslie Banks) is a fascinating character, on the verge of a judgeship, he basically tells the lovers to shut up and see what happens. The innocent mad may be found not guilty.

The lovers have 21 days (together) as the trial grinds on.

Apparently this was actually filmed in 1937 as a follow-up to Fire over England, to capitalize on the success of Leigh and Olivier in that film. Producer Alexander Korda did not like the film and shelved it. But after Leigh's huge success as Scarlett, they released it. The film has the reputation of being Leigh's worst starring film, but I thought it was very well done. The 3 stars are solid, and the ex-vicar is very well played by Hay Petrie.

Hay Petrie is one of my favourite character actors, and he is typical in this as (to my mind) he steals the entire film from under the noses of the hottest film couple in the UK at the time....and soon to be in Hollywood.
He was a favourite of Michael Powell too, and he appears in small but showy roles in many of his films from The Thief of Bagdad through to The Red Shoes. He's very memorable in The Spy In Black as the engineer on board the ageing ferry at the climax......he doesn't actually get to say 'The engines cannae take it Captain"......but I swear he is the prototype......

You're right.... Hay Petrie was quite remarkable in 21 Days Together but not in a showy way. His under-acting actually let him steal every scene he was in.