 The first scene shot was David Niven (I) (qv) washing up on the  beach. Originally planned to fade in from black,  Michael Powell (I) (qv) decided on the spot that the effect would  be too cheesy. When Jack Cardiff (qv) told him to look through the  camera, Cardiff then deliberately breathed right onto the lens,  which fogged the glass for a few seconds until it evaporated. Powell  loved the idea and had him use it for the shot.