One of John Ford's favorite actresses, Anna Lee is best known to movie audiences for her roles into Academy award-winning best films, "How Green was my Valley" and "The Sound of Music", as well as playing the overly friendly neighbor in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane". The same year she came to Hollywood to appear on position Ronald Colman in "My Life With Caroline", she starred in this Ealing comedy as a music hall performer who against her will is shot out way too high from a cannon and falling into the arms of aristocrat Griffith Jones. Dealing with an unwanted engagement, Jones uses his encounter with Lee to escape from the clutches of his domineering mother, duchess Martita Hunt. He certainly doesn't want to be as henpecked as his father, Seymour Hicks.
If there ever was evidence that Hunt would have been a perfect Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest", it's her hysterical performance in this delightful Cinderella story. She's rude and imperious, and when Lee in fury flicks her nose at her to call her a snob, it's a delightful takedown that even Hunt can't come up with a retort to. Hicks, like I've never seen him before, is absolutely delightful, playing the type of role that Edmund Gwenn excelled in. Jones is rather bland for the most part, but somebody in this film had to underplay.
Lee shows off an incredible figure in her music hall costume, and in looking at the 90 something year old Lee in her last days on "General Hospital" (after a 25 year run), you can definitely see the lovely young girl she is here. But every time Hunt comes on screen, everybody else disappears. She's equivalent of Edna May Oliver in "Pride and Prejudice" and Maggie Smith on "Downton Abbey", as well as Edith Evans in "Earnest", with increased imperiousness. No Miss Havisham here. Another delightful surprise from the best year of world cinema.
If there ever was evidence that Hunt would have been a perfect Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest", it's her hysterical performance in this delightful Cinderella story. She's rude and imperious, and when Lee in fury flicks her nose at her to call her a snob, it's a delightful takedown that even Hunt can't come up with a retort to. Hicks, like I've never seen him before, is absolutely delightful, playing the type of role that Edmund Gwenn excelled in. Jones is rather bland for the most part, but somebody in this film had to underplay.
Lee shows off an incredible figure in her music hall costume, and in looking at the 90 something year old Lee in her last days on "General Hospital" (after a 25 year run), you can definitely see the lovely young girl she is here. But every time Hunt comes on screen, everybody else disappears. She's equivalent of Edna May Oliver in "Pride and Prejudice" and Maggie Smith on "Downton Abbey", as well as Edith Evans in "Earnest", with increased imperiousness. No Miss Havisham here. Another delightful surprise from the best year of world cinema.