For Better, for Worse (1954 film): Difference between revisions

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| director = [[J. Lee Thompson]]
| director = [[J. Lee Thompson]]
| producer = [[Kenneth Harper]]
| producer = [[Kenneth Harper]]
| writer = [[J. Lee Thompson]]<br>Peter Myers
| writer = [[J. Lee Thompson]]<br>additional dialogue<br>Peter Myers<br>Alec Grahame
| based_on = play by Arthur Watkyn
| based_on = play by Arthur Watkyn
| narrator =
| narrator =
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| language = English
| language = English
| budget =
| budget =
| gross = £206,736 (UK)<ref>Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', ''Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television'', Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p504</ref>
| gross = £206,736 (UK)<ref name="box">Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', ''Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television'', Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p504</ref>
| preceded_by =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| followed_by =
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* [[Peter Jones (actor)|Peter Jones]] as the Car Salesman
* [[Peter Jones (actor)|Peter Jones]] as the Car Salesman
* [[Edwin Styles]] as Anne's Boss
* [[Edwin Styles]] as Anne's Boss
==Production==
The film was based on a play by Arthur Watkin, a censor for the British film board who wrote plays under a pen name "Arthur "Watkyn".<ref>ARTHUR WATKINS, ] A PLAYWRIGHT, 58]: Ex-Secretary of British Film Censorship Board Dies
New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]02 Aug 1965: 29. </ref> The play debuted in London in December 1952 with a cast including Leslie Philips, Dandy Nichols and Geraldine McEwan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39362995 |title=SPOTLIGHT ON THE STARS |newspaper=[[Western Mail]] |volume=69, |issue=3,365 |location=Western Australia |date=29 April 1954 |accessdate=9 July 2020 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref> Reviews called it "agreeable".<ref>"FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE": A "Comedy of our Time"
Hope-Wallace, Philip. The Manchester Guardian (1901-1959); Manchester (UK) [Manchester (UK)]18 Dec 1952: 3.</ref> It was a huge success, running for over 500 performances. The play was performed on radio and television.<ref>{{cite book|first=Leslie|last=Phillips|page=147-152|title=Hello : the autobiography|year=2006 |publisher=Orion }}</ref>

Film rights were purchased by Associated British. Susan Stephens had just been in ''His Excellency''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57956348 |title=BOY WITH BATON NOW HAS WHIP |newspaper=[[The Mail (Adelaide)]] |volume=54, |issue=2,189 |location=South Australia |date=22 May 1954 |accessdate=9 July 2020 |page=8 (SUNDAY MAGAZINE) |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref> It was the first role for Pia Terri from Italy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167645825 |title=TALENTED ITALIAN |newspaper=[[The Newcastle Sun]] |issue=11,326 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 October 1954 |accessdate=9 July 2020 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref>

Filming took place at Elstree Studios, starting 1 March 1954.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Kine Weekly|page=27|title=Comedy in Colour|date=25 February 1954|url=https://archive.org/details/kineweekly2435/page/n28/mode/1up?q=%22for+better+for+worse%22}}</ref> It was the first movie shot there to use Eastman colour.<ref>Round the British Studios
Nepean, Edith. Picture Show; London Vol. 63, Iss. 1631, (Jul 3, 1954): 11.</ref>
==Reception==
===Box Office===
The film was successful at the box office in Britain, helped in part by the fact Dirk Bogarde had just been seen in ''Doctor in the House''.<ref name="box"/>
⚫
===Critical reception===
The Monthly Film Bulletin said "there is nothing very original... but it is played with charm and veracity."<ref>FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 21, Iss. 240, (Jan 1, 1954): 161. </ref>


⚫
==Critical reception==
[[Sky Movies]] noted "Arthur Watkyn's famous stage success has proved successful material for drama societies up and down the land - but still comes up like new in this bright little film version...Warm, human and charmingly funny domestic comedy, dressed up as fresh as paint by the colour camerawork." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://skymovies.sky.com/for-better-for-worse/review |title=For Better, For Worse - Sky Movies HD |publisher=Skymovies.sky.com |date=2006-01-27 |accessdate=2014-04-05}}</ref>
[[Sky Movies]] noted "Arthur Watkyn's famous stage success has proved successful material for drama societies up and down the land - but still comes up like new in this bright little film version...Warm, human and charmingly funny domestic comedy, dressed up as fresh as paint by the colour camerawork." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://skymovies.sky.com/for-better-for-worse/review |title=For Better, For Worse - Sky Movies HD |publisher=Skymovies.sky.com |date=2006-01-27 |accessdate=2014-04-05}}</ref>


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==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0046991|title=For Better, for Worse}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0046991|title=For Better, for Worse}}
*[https://letterboxd.com/film/for-better-for-worse/ For Better For Worse] at Letterbox DVD

*[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/75321/For-Better-For-Worse/ For Better for Worse] at [[TCMDB]]
{{J. Lee Thompson}}
{{J. Lee Thompson}}


Revision as of 04:16, 9 July 2020

For Better, for Worse
British theatrical poster
Directed byJ. Lee Thompson
Written byJ. Lee Thompson
additional dialogue
Peter Myers
Alec Grahame
Based onplay by Arthur Watkyn
Produced byKenneth Harper
StarringDirk Bogarde
CinematographyGuy Green
Edited byPeter Taylor
Music byAngela Morley (as Wally Stott)
Production
company
Kenwood Productions
Distributed byAssociated British-Pathe
Release date
  • 27 September 1954 (1954-09-27)
Running time
85 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office£206,736 (UK)[1]

For Better, for Worse is a 1954 British comedy film in Eastmancolor directed by J. Lee Thompson. It was based on Arthur Watkyn's play which had run for over 500 performances in the West End starring Leslie Phillips and Geraldine McEwan.[2][3]

It was also known as Cocktails in the Kitchen.

Plot

A young couple - Tony and Anne (Dirk Bogarde and Susan Stephen) decide to get married, however Tony does not have the required prospects that her father (Cecil Parker) insists on, so he sets his future son-in-law some conditions before allowing the wedding.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a play by Arthur Watkin, a censor for the British film board who wrote plays under a pen name "Arthur "Watkyn".[4] The play debuted in London in December 1952 with a cast including Leslie Philips, Dandy Nichols and Geraldine McEwan.[5] Reviews called it "agreeable".[6] It was a huge success, running for over 500 performances. The play was performed on radio and television.[7]

Film rights were purchased by Associated British. Susan Stephens had just been in His Excellency.[8] It was the first role for Pia Terri from Italy.[9]

Filming took place at Elstree Studios, starting 1 March 1954.[10] It was the first movie shot there to use Eastman colour.[11]

Reception

Box Office

The film was successful at the box office in Britain, helped in part by the fact Dirk Bogarde had just been seen in Doctor in the House.[1]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "there is nothing very original... but it is played with charm and veracity."[12]

Sky Movies noted "Arthur Watkyn's famous stage success has proved successful material for drama societies up and down the land - but still comes up like new in this bright little film version...Warm, human and charmingly funny domestic comedy, dressed up as fresh as paint by the colour camerawork." [13]

References

  1. ^ a b Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p504
  2. ^ "SPOTLIGHT ON THE STARS". Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954). Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 29 April 1954. p. 24. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  3. ^ "For Better. For Worse | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  4. ^ ARTHUR WATKINS, ] A PLAYWRIGHT, 58]: Ex-Secretary of British Film Censorship Board Dies New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]02 Aug 1965: 29.
  5. ^ "SPOTLIGHT ON THE STARS". Western Mail. Vol. 69, , no. 3, 365. Western Australia. 29 April 1954. p. 24. Retrieved 9 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  6. ^ "FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE": A "Comedy of our Time" Hope-Wallace, Philip. The Manchester Guardian (1901-1959); Manchester (UK) [Manchester (UK)]18 Dec 1952: 3.
  7. ^ Phillips, Leslie (2006). Hello : the autobiography. Orion. p. 147-152.
  8. ^ "BOY WITH BATON NOW HAS WHIP". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 54, , no. 2, 189. South Australia. 22 May 1954. p. 8 (SUNDAY MAGAZINE). Retrieved 9 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. ^ "TALENTED ITALIAN". The Newcastle Sun. No. 11, 326. New South Wales, Australia. 27 October 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 9 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Comedy in Colour". Kine Weekly. 25 February 1954. p. 27.
  11. ^ Round the British Studios Nepean, Edith. Picture Show; London Vol. 63, Iss. 1631, (Jul 3, 1954): 11.
  12. ^ FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 21, Iss. 240, (Jan 1, 1954): 161.
  13. ^ "For Better, For Worse - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 5 April 2014.

External links


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