''Don't Ever Leave Me'' is a 1949 British

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Petula Clark,

Jimmy Hanley Jimmy Hanley (22 October 1918 – 13 January 1970) was an English actor who appeared in the popular Huggetts film series, and in ITV's most popular advertising magazine programme, ''Jim's Inn'', from 1957 to 1963. Early life Born in Norwich, No ...

, Hugh Sinclair,

Edward Rigby Edward Coke MC (5 February 1879 – 5 April 1951), known professionally as Edward Rigby, was a British character actor. Early life Rigby was born at Ashford, Kent, England, the second son of Dr William Harriott Coke and his wife, Mary Elizab ...

, and Anthony Newley. Produced by

Betty Box Betty Evelyn Box, (25 September 1915 – 15 January 1999) was a prolific British film producer, usually credited as Betty E. Box. Early life and career Born in Beckenham, Kent, England, she initially planned to be a commercial artist or journa ...

during her stint at Gainsborough Pictures, it was written by

Robert Westerby Robert Westerby (3 July 1909 in Hackney, England – 16 November 1968 in Los Angeles County, California, United States), was a writer of novels (published by Arthur Barker of London) and screenwriter for films and television. An amateur boxer in ...

Plot

The plot, a variation on ''

The Ransom of Red Chief "The Ransom of Red Chief" is a short story by O. Henry first published in the July 6, 1907, issue of ''The Saturday Evening Post''. It follows two men who kidnap and demand a ransom for a wealthy Alabamian's son. Eventually, the men are driven c ...

'', revolves around Sheila Farlaine (Clark), the teenaged daughter of

Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

tragedian Michael Farlaine (Sinclair), who is kidnapped by elderly crook Harry Denton (Rigby) when it's suggested he no longer has what it takes to be a master criminal. When Harry starts having second thoughts about the caper, Sheila - tired of playing second fiddle to her egotistical father's career - becomes the mastermind of the plot and resists every effort made by Harry's grandson Jack (Hanley) to return her home before things get serious. However, in this strange scenario Sheila wants to be kidnapped, as it gives her the opportunity to act grown up and she thinks her father will at last take some interest. He meanwhile embraces the role of worried parent for whom "the show must go on" and thrives on the newspaper publicity. Sheila begins to take a romantic interest in Jack, and despite her only being 15 (and three-quarters), she blackmails him into taking her out to clubs and casinos, wining, dining and dancing. Jack's girlfriend is less than happy when she discovers this. Then Sheila's friend Jimmy (Newley) decides that he too wants to be "kidnapped" and becomes a general nuisance to one and all.

Production

Taking advantage of Clark's vocal abilities, screenwriter Westerby included two scenes in which she sang the tune "It's Not for the Want of Trying" by songwriters Jack Fishman and Peter Hart. The film, Clark's twelfth, allowed her to play a more mature role than in previous outings, and was both a critical and commercial success. Anthony Steel has one of his earliest screen appearances.

Cast

as Jack Denton * Petula Clark as Sheila Farlaine * Linden Travers as Mary Lamont * Hugh Sinclair as Michael Farlaine *

as Harry Denton * Anthony Newley as Jimmy Knowles *

Barbara Murray Barbara Ann Murray (27 September 1929 – 20 May 2014) was an English actress. Murray was most active in the 1940s and 1950s as a fresh-faced leading lady in many British films such as ''Passport to Pimlico'' (1949) and ''Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (19 ...

as Joan Robbins * Brenda Bruce as Miss Smith * Maurice Denham as Mr. Knowles *

Frederick Piper Frederick Piper (23 September 1902 – 22 September 1979) was an English actor of stage and screen who appeared in over 80 films and many television productions in a career spanning over 40 years. Piper studied drama under Elsie Fogerty at the ...

as Max Marshall * Sandra Dorne as Ruby Baines * Russell Waters as Mr. Robbins * Anthony Steel as Harris * Michael Balfour as Jim Kennedy * James Hayter as Man with Summons * Dandy Nichols as Mrs. Marshall *

Cyril Chamberlain Cyril Chamberlain (8 March 1909 – 5 December 1974) was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early ''Carry On'', ''Doctor'' and ''St. Trinian's'' films. Chamberlain was born on 8 March 1909 in London and died ...

as News Reporter * Philip Stainton as Detective Inspector *

John Salew John Rylett Salew (1902 (some sources state 1 January 1897)14 September 1961) was an English stage film and TV actor. Salew made the transition from stage to films in 1939, and according to Allmovie, "the manpower shortage during WWII enabled ...

as Farlaine's Manager *

Barbara Leake Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously as ...

as Mrs. Brand *

Arthur Hambling Arthur Hambling (14 March 1888 – 6 December 1952) was a British actor, on stage from 1912, and best known for appearances in the films ''Henry V'' (1944) and ''The Lavender Hill Mob'' (1951). In 1939 he appeared in the West End in N.C. Hunter ...

as Policeman at Jack's Flat *

Martin Miller Martin Miller may refer to: *Martin Miller (actor) (1899–1969), Czech actor *Martin Miller (cricketer, born 1940), English cricketer *Martin Miller (cricketer, born 1972), English cricketer *Martin Miller (footballer) (born 1997), Estonian footbal ...

as Leon Stoltz * Ben Williams as Superintendent in Cells

References

External links

* 1949 films British comedy films 1949 comedy films British black-and-white films Films set in London Films directed by Arthur Crabtree Gainsborough Pictures films Films produced by Betty Box Films about child abduction 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-comedy-film-stub