In the canon of great filmmakers, one who is rarely ever mentioned outside of a dedicated, small group of devotees, is the wonderful Delbert Mann. The main reason why he has resided in relative obscurity, despite demonstrating remarkable longevity in the industry, as well as collecting an impressive array of collaborators throughout the years, is due to him being perceived as the proverbial “director-for-hire”, someone brought on to helm a production that is normally a play or novel adaptation, and thus doesn’t need much of an authorial voice, with much of the work being done by the original writer and the actors tasked with bringing it to life. In these situations, the director is often nothing more than a middle-man, a facilitator that combines the varying elements and puts them together in such a way that feels somewhat cinematic, even if these don’t often qualify as remarkable pieces of filmmaking. Mann was a special case – he was certainly someone who thrived with this process, becoming something of an elder statesman of this corner of the industry and certainly one of its most trusted voices. However, every time I see one of his films, I’m struck by the sensation that there was a much more versatile, interesting director lurking beneath the production, someone who was capable of doing so much more than just taking a text and translating it to the screen. Separate Tables may not be the best distillation of this concept, since so much of what makes it succeed comes on behalf of Terence Rattigan, whose merging of his two plays is often the most acclaimed part of this film – but looking beneath this superficial layer, we can see that this is a film that achieves something quite impressive in all three areas: it is well-acted, beautifully-written, and put together with a fervent dedication that supersedes the confines of someone simply hired to throw it on screen. Not the finest film of its era, but certainly a solid one, Separate Tables is a triumph.

Separate Tables is a film that makes exceptionally good use of its ensemble, with nearly every member of the cast being utilized to their full potential. A film without a lead, but rather a shifting roster of protagonists that are the focus at different points, we’re introduced to each one as the story progresses, not only getting to know their public persona, but also their inner nature, which is often concealed for a reason. Secrets are paramount to the lives of these characters, and Mann demonstrates a keen sense of understanding their individual plights without infantilizing their struggle, or making it appear as if they’re to be pitied. Terence Rattigan was a keen observer of the human condition, and his efforts to create dual stories in which a variety of characters interact, all the while trying to conceal some harrowing truths that they would regret to have become public knowledge, leaves space for a truly compelling exploration of the limits of our own pride. It is undeniably a very simple film, one that weaves together its various narrative threads with poise and good-natured humour, all the while making some profoundly meaningful statements as it goes along. It can’t simply be reduced to yet another play adaptation, especially when the process of adapting from stage to screen comes across as authentically and with as much meaning as it does here. Mann is a masterful facilitator of some very impressive conversations, and his weaving together of Rattigan’sstories should not be underestimated, since his tendency to have the camera linger a beat too long, or slowly inch closer towards a character’s emotional response to a particularly shattering event, is absolutely admirable, and is worth noting, since many have disparaged this film as yet another middling attempt to capitalize on a renaissance of mid-century theatre.

Naturally, without its cast, Separate Tables would simply not have worked. Every member of the ensemble is doing terrific work, with some having received the appropriate praise since this film’s release, others being more under-represented in conversations. David Niven is perhaps the film’s most notable performance, playing the wise-cracking, warm Major Pollock, a man whose cheery disposition hides a terrifying secret regarding his sexual deviancy, something that is rapidly rising to the surface, which he intends to conceal with all his might. American film stars Burt Lancaster (who also served as producer on the film) and Rita Hayworth lend their talents from across the Atlantic as the former lovers who meet again in a seaside hotel, and rekindle their romance by fighting through decades of animosity since they last saw each other. Gladys Cooper and Deborah Kerr are tremendous as the high-society mother and her shy, introverted daughter respectively, traversing the corridors of that hotel as if they own it (and they very well might, considering how fearful the staff and residents are of the terrifying crone). In between all these fascinating performances is Wendy Hiller, who occupies dual positions, first as the passive observer who ties everything together, playing the omnipotent Pat, the hotel’s manager and jack-of-all-trades. She eventually becomes woven into the narrative herself, proving to be the emotional heart of the film, and a major reason for its success, as her spirited and subtle performance is a breath of fresh air in a film filled with enormous personalities, all of which are vying for attention as the story moves forward.

Separate Tables is a film that mainly functions as a film about alienation – there may be close to a dozen different characters woven into the film, but the theme of loneliness is persistent throughout. Ratigan wrote two distinct texts about people who are not only dealing with their own regrets, but also working with a profound sense of isolation from the world around them, despite being surrounded by many people, who they don’t realize have their own personal quandaries that keep them up at night. Setting these stories within a hotel was a fascinating decision, since so much of what makes this such a compelling film is the relationship between the various individuals. The added caveat of the setting being a well-regarded hotel in the off-season, meaning that the only guests present are the longtime and permanent residents, only adds to the intrigue, since these are all people who may have some passing knowledge of those around them – enough to firm a solid opinion on your fellow resident – but not enough to actually know them as fully-formed individuals. Ratigan and Mann playfully tease many different relationships over the course of the film, starting off on a vaguely comedic key, before gradually dismantling this cheerful atmosphere by provoking some of the internal relationships between the characters, showing how their lives intersect, and how the more someone learns about another person, the less they tend to understand. It’s a fascinating contradiction, and something that Separate Tables does very well, even if the film itself can feel somewhat stilted at times.

It may feel somewhat dated in both theory and execution (and some of the subject matter is obviously restricting to a particular period), but Separate Tables is a tremendously effective film that knows exactly how to tell a compelling story without coming across as overwrought or heavy-handed in how it handles some of the more tricky material. In this regard, it’s a profoundly modern film – themes of sexual harassment, infidelity and unconventional romance are all woven into the fabric of the film, and brilliantly deconstructed by a script that calls for only the most meaningful discussions to come to the fore. This is a film that will appeal to those who appreciate the classical melodrama that the Golden Age of Hollywood had to offer – the emotions are heightened, the romance soaring and the hysterics perfectly calibrated to the right amount of excess to keep us engaged and interested, but not alienate us with over-the-top histrionics that tend to elicit the adverse reaction in many instances. Mann should be appreciated more as a director of solid, well-constructed dramas that had a lot of heart, tremendous performances and a sense of understanding that just simply doesn’t come from someone who didn’t profoundly care about the stories he was telling. For all these reasons, Separate Tables is an essential, meaningful piece of Old Hollywood glamour that entertains as much as it provokes thought.