Another Dawn is a dated, turgid melodrama concerning unrequited love, honor, and self-sacrifice at a British army post located somewhere in the hostile Sahara desert. The film stars Kay Francis (on her way down from stardom) and Errol Flynn (on his way up) as the lovers thwarted by their sense of duty. They are abetted in their flagellant behavior by Ian Hunter and Fieda Inescort who have their own crosses to bear. The ridiculous mechanizations of the screenplay are aided considerably by some striking cinematography and a rousing score by newcomer Erich Wolfgang Korngold who would soon be on his way to cinema immortality.
The performances of the leads are a mixed bag and no one can overcome the poor script. Miss Francis looks stunning in her many costumes and does the best she can with the histrionics. She generates more chemistry with her unloved film husband, Ian Hunter, than with her supposed romantic interest, Errol Flynn. Flynn is surprisingly bad in this; he seems very uncomfortable with most everything he's required to do although no one ever looked better in a uniform. Luckily some of his most memorable roles were right around the corner. Perhaps the best performance comes from Herbert Mundin, the disgraced soldier who endures much misery from his mates for a prior act of cowardice. He begs for a chance at redemption and makes good.
Truly there is little to recommend this film other than to wonder how Kay Francis was ever a big star and witness an early performance by the legendary Errol Flynn in one of his most unheralded roles.
The performances of the leads are a mixed bag and no one can overcome the poor script. Miss Francis looks stunning in her many costumes and does the best she can with the histrionics. She generates more chemistry with her unloved film husband, Ian Hunter, than with her supposed romantic interest, Errol Flynn. Flynn is surprisingly bad in this; he seems very uncomfortable with most everything he's required to do although no one ever looked better in a uniform. Luckily some of his most memorable roles were right around the corner. Perhaps the best performance comes from Herbert Mundin, the disgraced soldier who endures much misery from his mates for a prior act of cowardice. He begs for a chance at redemption and makes good.
Truly there is little to recommend this film other than to wonder how Kay Francis was ever a big star and witness an early performance by the legendary Errol Flynn in one of his most unheralded roles.