''Cluny Brown'' is a 1946 American romantic comedy made by

Twentieth Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

, directed and produced by

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

. The screenplay was written by

Samuel Hoffenstein Samuel "Sam" Hoffenstein (8 October 1890 - 6 October 1947) was a screenwriter and a musical composer. Born in Russia, he emigrated to the United States and began a career in New York City as a newspaper writer and in the entertainment business. In ...

and Elizabeth Reinhardt based on the 1944 novel by

Margery Sharp Clara Margery Melita Sharp (25 January 1905 – 14 March 1991) was an English writer of 25 novels for adults, 14 children's novels, four plays, two mysteries, and numerous short stories. Her best-known work is ''The Rescuers'' series about a h ...

. The music score is by

Cyril J. Mockridge Cyril John Mockridge (August 6, 1896 – January 18, 1979) was an English film and television composer who scored such films as ''Cheaper by the Dozen'', ''River of No Return'' and ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance''. He was nominated for an Ac ...

. The film, starring

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

and

Jennifer Jones Jennifer Jones (born Phylis Lee Isley; March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), also known as Jennifer Jones Simon, was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her career that spanned over five decades, she was nominated ...

, is a satire on the smugness of British high society and the last film Lubitsch completed before his death in 1947.

Plot

In 1938 London, Cluny Brown meets Adam Belinski while fixing a plumbing issue at Mr. Ames' and the two strike a chord. Later, at a party at Ames', the self-obsessed Betty Cream is pursued by two young men: Andrew Carmel and John Frewen. Cream stumbles upon a sleeping Belinski, whom the men recognize as the prominent anti-Nazi author Professor Adam Belinski. Andrew offers to allow Belinski to stay at his family's residence outside London while Andrew leaves for London. Brown's uncle (also her guardian), disapproving of her unladylike behavior, sends her to work as the parlor maid for Andrew's family (headed by Sir Henry Carmel and Lady Carmel), much to her displeasure. Upon arrival, Brown is put under the contemptuous eyes of housekeeper Mrs. Maile and Syrette. At dinner, Brown is surprised to see Belinski. After dinner, Belinski is shown to a room with a

nightingale The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is no ...

under the window. Later, Belinski finds Brown and they realize that they are out of place at the Carmels' and make a pact to be platonic friends, even though Belinski is clearly interested in her. One afternoon, Brown tells Belinski that she has been invited by

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

Jonathan Wilson to meet his mother. At Wilson's, Brown is amazed by Wilson's mannerisms and array of skills. Meanwhile, Belinski rings Wilson's doorbell and disappears. After the meeting, Belinski finds Wilson and acknowledges that he is a good man for Brown. Belinski tries to dissuade Brown from engaging with Wilson but she misinterprets his words and becomes more smitten with him. Andrew returns after a row with Cream in London the previous day and is thus shocked to find that Cream is a guest at their residence. Belinski persuades Cream to let Brown, her personal maid, off the rest of the evening so she may attend Mrs. Wilson's birthday party, where Wilson may announce his engagement to Brown. When something goes awry with the plumbing during the Wilsons' party, Brown cannot resist the chance to show her skill at plumbing and bangs loudly and disruptively with a wrench on the offending pipe until it is fixed, startling the Wilsons and their guests. Mrs. Wilson, expressing her disapproval, promptly retires for the night, and the guests, sensing that things have gone wrong, leave just as suddenly and quickly; Mr. Wilson is exasperated and has second thoughts about his intentions with Cluny Brown. That evening, Belinski enters Cream's bedroom, asking her to be nicer to Andrew, but Cream believes Belinski is trying to seduce her and screams. A furious Andrew tries to confront Belinski but Lady Carmel persuades him to sleep. In Cream's room, Cream tells Lady Carmel that she intends to marry Andrew and will tell him so in the morning. The next morning, Andrew decides to settle the score with a fight, but if there is one, it is not shown and the result is unclear. Brown falls ill and Belinski suddenly announces his departure. He asks Maile to give her his parting present and wishes Brown well with Mr. Wilson. Just as Belinski leaves, Brown rushes out and catches up with him at the train station. She reveals that while Mr. Wilson was disappointed by her behavior that night, he will ask his mother to give her another chance. However, Belinski ushers her onto the train. He professes his love to her, promising that to support both of them, he will write a best-selling murder mystery. They embrace and kiss. In the window of the "Fifth Avenue Bookstore", copies of Belinski's novels "The Nightingale Murder" and "The Nightingale Strikes Again!" are displayed.

Cast

as Adam Belinski *

as Cluny Brown *

Peter Lawford Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford ( Aylen; 7 September 1923 – 24 December 1984) was an English-American actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 26 December 1984. He was a member of the " Rat Pack" and the brother-in-law of US president John F. Kennedy and sen ...

as Andrew Carmel *

Helen Walker Helen Marion Walker (July 17, 1920 – March 10, 1968) was an American actress.Obituary ''Variety'', March 13, 1968, page 79. Biography 1920–1940: Early life Helen Marion Walker was born July 17, 1920 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter ...

as Betty Cream *

Reginald Gardiner William Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 – 7 July 1980) was an English actor on the stage, in films and on television. Early years Gardiner was born in Wimbledon, England, and he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Katz, ...

as Hilary Ames *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as Sir Henry Carmel *

C. Aubrey Smith Sir Charles Aubrey Smith (21 July 1863 – 20 December 1948) was an English Test cricketer who became a stage and film actor, acquiring a niche as the officer-and-gentleman type, as in the first sound version of ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937) ...

as Colonel Charles Duff Graham *

Richard Haydn Richard Haydn (born George Richard Haydon, 10 March 1905 – 25 April 1985) was a British-American comedy actor. Some of his better known performances include his roles as Professor Oddley in ''Ball of Fire'' (1941), Roger in '' No Time for Lov ...

as Jonathan Wilson *

Margaret Bannerman Margaret Bannerman (born Marguerite Grand; December 15, 1896 – June 14, 1976) was a Canadian actress. She is known for her work in the English films '' The Gay Lord Quex'', '' Lady Audley's Secret'' and '' Hindle Wakes''. She had a successful c ...

as Lady Alice Carmel *

Sara Allgood Sarah Ellen Allgood (30 October 1880 – 13 September 1950), known as Sara Allgood, was an Irish-American actress. She first studied drama with the Irish nationalist Daughters of Ireland and was at the opening of the Irish National Theatre Soc ...

as Mrs. Maile *

Ernest Cossart Ernest Cossart (born Emil Gottfried von Holst, 24 September 1876 – 21 January 1951) was an English-American actor. After a stage career in England, he moved to the US, appearing on Broadway and all around the country. In the 1930s and 1940s, ...

as Syrette *

Florence Bates Florence Bates ( Rabe; April 15, 1888 - January 31, 1954), was an American film and stage character actress who often played grande dame characters in supporting roles. Life and career Bates was the second child born to Jewish immigrant pare ...

as Dowager at Ames' Party * Una O'Connor as Mrs. Wilson *

Billy Bevan Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris, 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born vaudevillian, who became an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 American films between 1916 and 1950. Career Bevan was bo ...

as Arn Porritt, Cluny's uncle (uncredited) * Charles Coleman as Constable Birkins (uncredited) *

Michael Dyne Michael Bradley Dyne (August 19, 1918 – May 17, 1989) was a British-American television and film screenwriter. He was also an actor, and wrote one stage play. Dyne was the son of sculptor Musgrave Bradley Dyne. He was born in London, educated i ...

as John Frewen (uncredited) *

Christopher Severn Christopher Aubrey Reginald Severn (born Los Angeles) is an American former screen actor. Severn is the son of Dr. Clifford Brill Severn (1890-1981). His parents had emigrated from South Africa to Los Angeles shortly before he was born. He had s ...

as Master Ronald Snaffle (uncredited)

Reviews

A ''New York Times'' review in 1946 called the film a "delectable and sprightly lampoon" and "among the year's most delightful comedies". A reviewer for ''Variety'' wrote "''Cluny Brown'' is in the best Lubitsch tradition of subtle, punchy comedy, and his two stars make the most of it. It is a satire on British manners, with bite and relish."

Radio adaptation

''Cluny Brown'' was presented on ''Star Playhouse'' on November 15, 1953. The adaptation starred

Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in ''Come to th ...

References

External links

* * * *
''Cluny Brown''
on

Screen Directors Playhouse ''Screen Directors Playhouse'' (sometimes written as ''Screen Directors' Playhouse'') is an American radio and television anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcas ...

: November 23, 1950 *
Cluny Brown
' at the

American Film Institute Catalog The ''AFI Catalog of Feature Films'', also known as the ''AFI Catalog'', is an ongoing project by the American Film Institute (AFI) to catalog all commercially-made and theatrically exhibited American motion pictures from the birth of cinema in ...

''Cluny Brown: The Joys of Plumbing''
an essay by

Siri Hustvedt Siri Hustvedt (born February 19, 1955) is an American novelist and essayist. Hustvedt is the author of a book of poetry, seven novels, two books of essays, and several works of non-fiction. Her books include ''The Blindfold'' (1992), ''The Ench ...

at the

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...

{{Authority control Films based on romance novels 1946 films 20th Century Fox films American black-and-white films 1946 romantic comedy films Films directed by Ernst Lubitsch Films based on British novels Films based on works by Margery Sharp Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge American romantic comedy films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films