Father's Doing Fine

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Father's Doing Fine
Father's Doing Fine FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by Henry Cass
Written by Anne Burnaby
Based onLittle Lambs Eat Ivy by Noel Langley
Produced by Victor Skutezky
Starring Richard Attenborough
Heather Thatcher
Noel Purcell
Virginia McKenna
Cinematography Erwin Hillier
Edited by Edward B. Jarvis
Music by Philip Green
Harold Smart
Production
company
Marble Arch Productions
Distributed by Associated British-Pathé
Stratford Pictures (US)
Release date
  • August 1952 (1952-08)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
Language English
Box office£127,822 (UK) [1]

Father's Doing Fine is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring Richard Attenborough, Heather Thatcher, and Noel Purcell, and featuring Sid James. [2] It was based on the 1948 play Little Lambs Eat Ivy by Noel Langley. [3] It was shot at Associated British's Elstree Studios with sets designed by the art director Donald M. Ashton.

Contents

Plot

Eccentric widow Lady Buckering lives in splendour in Hampstead, but behind the scenes is struggling with poverty and bringing up four demanding daughters, one of whom is about to have a baby. Also of concern is the very nervous father-to-be and how exactly to deal with her light-fingered butler.

Cast

Critical reception

TV Guide called it a "Fast-moving, barely plotted comedy," and "Unpretentious entertainment"; [4] while the Radio Times wrote "such is the precision of Henry Cass's direction and the exuberance of the performances that it's difficult not to be sucked into this frantic world of scatterbrained daughters, disastrous share deals and crooked butlers," concluding that "The pace disguises the fact that the humour has dated somewhat, but there's rarely a dull moment." [5]

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References

  1. Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p499
  2. "Father's Doing Fine (1952) - BFI". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012.
  3. Goble, Alan (8 September 2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN   9783110951943 via Google Books.
  4. "Father's Doing Fine | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  5. "Father's Doing Fine – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.