''My Wife's Family'' is a 1956

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Gilbert Gunn Gilbert Gunn (24 March 1905 – 6 December 1967) was a British screenwriter and film director. Career Gunn worked as a playwright and theatrical producer in the 1930s, and then joined the Associated British Picture Corporation as screenwr ...

and starring

Ronald Shiner Ronald Alfred Shiner (8 June 1903 – 29 June 1966) was a British stand-up comedian and comedy actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall. Early life and career When he was seventeen, Shiner joined the Royal North-Wes ...

, Ted Ray,

Greta Gynt Greta Gynt (born Margrethe Woxholt; 15 November 1916 – 2 April 2000) was a Norwegian dancer and actress. She is remembered for her starring roles in the British classic films '' The Dark Eyes of London'', '' Mr. Emmanuel'', ''Take My Life'', '' ...

Diane Hart Diane Lavinia Hart (20 July 1926 – 7 February 2002) was an English actress in both films and West End theatre, political campaigner, and inventor. Early life Born in 1926, Hart was educated at various convents and then at Abbot's Hill Schoo ...

and

Robertson Hare John Robertson Hare, Order of the British Empire, OBE (17 December 1891 – 25 January 1979) was an English actor, who came to fame in the Aldwych farces. He is remembered by more recent audiences for his performances as the Archdeacon in the p ...

. It was written by Gunn and

Talbot Rothwell Talbot Nelson Conn "Tolly" Rothwell, Order of the British Empire, OBE (12 November 1916 – 28 February 1981) was an English screenwriter. Life and career Rothwell was born in Bromley, Kent, England. He had a variety of jobs during his earl ...

Plot

Jack Gay, a newlywed with a dominating mother-in-law attempts to surprise his wife Stella with a baby grand piano, but when she overhears him discussing it, she mistakes it for an illegitimate child, particularly with the arrival of his ex-girlfriend, the blonde and glamorous Gloria Marsh.

Cast

as Doc Knott * Ted Ray as Jack Gay *

as Stella Gay *

Fabia Drake Fabia Drake OBE (born Ethel McGlinchy; 20 January 1904 – 28 February 1990) was an English actress whose professional career spanned almost 73 years during the 20th century. Drake was born in Herne Bay, Kent. Her first professional role ...

as Arabella *

as Gloria Marsh *

as Noah * Zena Marshall as Hilda *Jessica Cairns as Irma * Benny Lee as Arnold *Jimmy Mageean as Dobson *

Gilbert Harding Gilbert Charles Harding (5 June 1907 – 16 November 1960) was a British journalist and radio and television personality. His many careers included schoolmaster, journalist, policeman, disc jockey, actor, interviewer and television presenter. H ...

as himself

Production

It was a remake of the 1941 British film '' My Wife's Family'', and is the third British film of the stage farce of the same name by actor

Fred Duprez Fred Duprez (September 6, 1884 – October 27, 1938) was an American actor, comedian and singer who performed in vaudeville, phonograph record and film. He made phonograph recordings in the US and the UK in the 1900s, 1910s, and 1920s. Most of t ...

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "A further adaptation of the slapstick comedy by Fred Duprez (previously filmed in 1931 and 1941), this new production, in colour, serves as a vehicle for two comedians with agreeably contrasting personalities. Ronald Shiner as Doc Knott gives a robust display of over-confidence, while Ted Ray successfully suggests the harassed Jack. But their determined efforts are largely defeated by the lack of originality in both dialogue and situations. Of the supporting players, Fabia Drake makes an imposing Arabella and Robertson Hare gives his customary caricature of the hen-pecked husband." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' wrote, "The third screen version of Fred Duprez's play proves once and for all there's no hope of reviving the dead... Overplayed without shame, but that doesn't help the ancient jokes any." ''

Sky Movies Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema on ...

'' noted a "broad comedy, with Ronald Shiner and Ted Ray extracting the maximum number of laughs out of the mother-in-law-coming-to-stay situation. Fabia Drake gives a sharply-observed portrait of the old battleaxe."

References

External links

* 1956 films 1956 comedy films British comedy films Films shot at Associated British Studios Films with screenplays by Talbot Rothwell British films based on plays Remakes of British films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Gilbert Gunn 1950s British films English-language comedy films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub