Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?

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Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?
Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary%3F film Theatrical release poster (1953).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Maurice Elvey
Written by Talbot Rothwell
Based on Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?
by Vivian Tidmarsh
Produced byDavid Dent
Starring Bonar Colleano
Diana Dors
David Tomlinson
Diana Decker
Cinematography Phil Grindrod
Edited by Lito Carruthers
Music byW.L. Trytel
Distributed by Adelphi Films
Associated Artists Productions
Release date
  • September 1953 (1953-09)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? is a 1953 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Bonar Colleano, Diana Dors, David Tomlinson and Diana Decker. It was based on Vivian Tidmarsh's 1944 West End hit play by the same name.

Contents

Plot

When US Navy airman Commander Laurie Vining takes up his new posting in London with his new wife Gillian he has no idea that his first wife Candy Markham will turn up and threaten his marital bliss by claiming they are still married. Faithful confidant Hank Hanlon continually stirs things up and tries to keep order. Other lives that are changed forever by the intervention include lawyer Frank Betterton.

Cast

Production

The play debuted in 1944 in London, originally starring Ralph Lynn, and ran for almost three years. Film rights were bought in February 1953 as a vehicle for Diana Dors. [1] The screenplay was by Talbot Rothwell who went on to write 20 Carry On films.

Filming took place over four weeks in April at Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames. Dors was paid a fee of £1,000. [2]

Critical reception

According to BFI's Screenonline, the "film belongs to Dors. Ideally cast as mischievous, ultra-blonde temptress Candy, she sashays towards centre stage with a seemingly effortless lightness of step, adding much-needed sparkle to well-worn material. While never appearing to take herself – or the script – the slightest bit seriously, she steals the show with careless assurance." [3]

The Monthly Film Bulletin called it an "uneven bedroom farce. On the debit side: time-worn situations, bad timing; on the credit side: some good playing from David Tomlinson, as yet another shy, respectable Englishman, and from Diana Dors, responding to the essence of the piece beautifully by exuding 100 per cent sex." [4]

Filmink said Dors was "full of life and vigour". [5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "London". Variety. 18 February 1953. p. 62.
  2. ↑ Dors, Diana (1960). Swingin' Dors. World Distributors. p. 85.
  3. ↑ Pratt, Vic. "Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?". BFI Screenonline.
  4. ↑ Review of film at Volume 20, No.237, October 1953, page 150
  5. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
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