The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello all, I am not much of a television watcher, but last night I watched to the end(!) an interesting 1939 British film entitled "ON THE NIGHT OF THE FIRE".
Basically it is about a barber, played by Ralph Richardson who commits a theft, which leads to his involvement in blackmail and murder.
I had no idea that a gramophone was going to appear.
In a couple of the scenes, an EMG Mark 9 is seen playing. The first time it is playing "Bach" and the owner is extolling the virtues of that composer's music, but in the second sighting slightly later in the film the gramophone is again playing classical music whilst a murder is taking place! I found it quite dramatic, and as the two men were locked in their fight, I felt the machine was going to be knocked over, but thankfully it survived unscathed! and as the murder was committed the camera panned onto the gramophone, and an HNV record was playing near the end of the disc, and we saw the soundbox creep into the take off groove, and that was the end of that particular scene.
On youtube there are two entries for the film, but when looked into it seems to be about someone in a rainforest or similar with bird noises! Maybe someone else interested will fare better than me

Sounds interesting Alastair. The "Talking Pictures" channel frequently repeats films, so I will try not to miss it next time.
Here is the Wikipedia entry for it :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Night_of_the_Fire

Roger.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2amd4b

Can be viewed here. What got me was that the Mk9 is really playing. You can hear the needle and clicks and boy what a sound. An EMG captured as it would have sounded in 1939. Even with this shaky footage and sound, the bass response is awesome.
Plays about 19 ½ mins in.
Thank you!

The kiiling scene is very good, with the EMG acting as the silent witness, its stopping marking the death - like it has an auto brake, which was not normally fitted in EMGs. Not to be missed the metaphoric subtlety of the G-string being used to strangle the blackmailer.

I always thought that in case a thief would enter home, I would use the pile of discarded 78s to throw at his face as Frisbees... until I get him down!

Another film that turns up on Talking Pictures is 'Seance on a Wet Afternoon' in which the EMG Mk ix is the centre point in a very stately living room of the main character. Its is featured several times playing 'wonderfully' It co stars Richard Attenborough and is a must see psychological drama.