''Green Fingers'' is a 1947 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by John Harlow and starring

Robert Beatty Robert Rutherford Beatty (19 October 1909 – 3 March 1992) was a Canadian actor who worked in film, television and radio for most of his career and was especially known in the UK. Early years Beatty was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the son of ...

Carol Raye Carol Raye (17 January 1923 – 18 June 2022 as Kathleen Mary Corkrey and also billed as Carole Raye) was a British-born Australian actress of film, television, radio, theatre and revue, comedian, singer, dancer, and radio and television prod ...

and

Nova Pilbeam Nova Margery Pilbeam (15 November 1919 – 17 July 2015) was an English film and stage actress. She played leading roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films of the 1930s, and made her last film in 1948. Early life Pilbeam was born in Wimbledon, Sur ...

. The film title does not use the term green fingers in its normal context, alluding to an untaught and natural skill at growing plants, but rather applies it to the world of alternative medicine and the ancient concept of individuals being natural "healers".

Plot

Thomas Stone, a seaman on a fishing trawler, discovers that he has what appear to be healing powers when a crewmate is injured. He shows a natural aptitude as a healer. He begins training formally as an osteopath, but his natural flair in combination with human sympathy causes him to treat the daughter of the family where he lodges two months before he is due to qualify. He cures her, enabling her to walk, but is thrown out of his studies as a result. He does, however, marry the girl. He also gets much press coverage for his cure - attracting many clients. During his studies, he had waited on tables in a high-class restaurant. There he encountered Alexandra, the daughter of a doctor. Her father had failed to cure her constant headaches. She has much faith in Stone, and becomes his patron, also beginning an affair. When he is asked to choose between his wife and Alexandra, he chooses his wife. Alexandra is furious. He refuses to believe her headache is real, and when she goes home her father is also unsympathetic. She commits suicide. At the public inquest, he has to reveal his affair. Worse still, it is proven that his one diagnosis of a pituitary problem was wrong. If she had only been x-rayed it would have revealed an operable tumour. Stone has therefore effectively killed her. He is denounced as a quack. His wife stands by him. Moreover, he is informed he can return to complete his studies and formally qualify, as this too would have avoided the tragedy. On a boating trip near their home in

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...

, his wife becomes sick, and loses the power of her legs again. He wants to now wait until he is qualified or get in a professional. But she has faith in him and wants him to cure her. The film ends with them walking hand-in-hand to

Whitby Abbey Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian ...

with Jeannie clearly cured.

Production

It was made by

British National Films The British National Films Company was formed in England in 1934 by J. Arthur Rank, Lady Annie Henrietta Yule of Bricket Wood, and producer John Corfield. Origin Joseph Arthur Rank was a devout member of the British Methodist Church and the ...

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

with some scenes shot on location in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Wilfred Arnold Wilfred Arnold (1903–1970), also known as C. Wilfred Arnold, was a British art director.Ryall p.98 He was prolific contributor to British films, designing the sets for more than a hundred. His brother Norman Arnold was also an art director. ...

Main cast

as Thomas Stone *

as Jeannie Mansell *

as Alexandra Baxter *

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Earl ...

as Daniel Booth *

Moore Marriott George Thomas Moore Marriott (14 September 1885 – 11 December 1949) was an English character actor best remembered for the series of films he made with Will Hay. His first appearance with Hay was in the film '' Dandy Dick'' (1935), but he wa ...

as Pickles *

Brefni O'Rorke Brefni O'Rorke (26 June 1889 – 11 November 1946) was an Irish actor, both on the stage and in movies. Early life O'Rorke was born as William Francis Breffni O'Rorke at 2 Esplande Villas in Dollymount, Clontarf, Dublin on 26 June 1889, and bap ...

as Coroner *

Charles Victor Charles Victor (10 February 1896 – 23 December 1965) was a British actor who appeared in many film and television roles between 1931 and 1965. He was born Charles Victor Harvey. Born in Southport, Lancashire, England, Victor was a fourth ...

as Joe Mansel *

Harry Welchman Harry Welchman (24 February 1886 – 3 January 1966) was an English star of musical theatre. He made several appearances in non-musical plays, but was remembered as, in the words of ''The Times'', "perhaps the most popular musical comedy hero on th ...

as Dr Baxter *

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 Elizabe ...

as Albert Goodman *

Ellis Irving Edward Willliam Ellis Irving (2 January 1902 – 27 March 1983) was an Australian film actor who appeared in a number of British films. He was married to the British stage and screen actress Sophie Stewart., ''...Mr. Ellis Irving. is visiting Au ...

as Jones * Olive Walter as Mrs Mansell *

Wally Patch Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in ...

as Dawson *

Daisy Burrell Daisy Burrell (born Daisy Isobel Eaglesfield Ratton; 16 June 1892 – 10 June 1982) was a British stage actress and Edwardian musical comedy performer who also appeared as a leading lady in silent films and in pantomime. In 1951 she appeared i ...

as Stone's Receptionist

References

External links

* 1947 films 1947 drama films Films directed by John Harlow British drama films Seafaring films Films shot at British National Studios Films set in London Films set in Whitby Films shot in North Yorkshire Films with screenplays by Jack Whittingham British black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-film-stub