''The Romantic Age'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by

Edmond T. Gréville Edmond T. Gréville (born Edmond Gréville Thonger; 20 June 1906 – 26 May 1966) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was married to the actress Vanda Gréville. Career Gréville began his career as a film journalist and critic. ...

. The screenplay by Peggy Barwell and

Edward Dryhurst Edward Dryhurst (1904–1989) was an English screenwriter, film producer and director. Selected filmography Screenwriter * ''Three Men in a Cart'' (1929) * '' Find the Lady'' (1936) * ''The End of the Road'' (1936) * ''Jennifer Hale'' (1937 ...

is based on the French

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

''Lycee des jeunes filles'' by

Serge Véber Serge Véber (1897–1976) was a French screenwriter and film director.Capua p.126 He also worked as a lyricist for operettas and was involved with many hit songs. Selected filmography * ''A Son from America (1932 film), A Son from America'' (1932 ...

. The film was retitled ''Naughty Arlette'' for the American release.

Plot

The plot focuses on middle-aged Arnold Dickson, an art master who joins the staff of the girls' school in which his daughter Julie is enrolled. He soon finds himself the target of Arlette, a sophisticated French exchange student who has more than education on her mind. On a dare, she seduces the professor into running off to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

with her, a plot derailed by Julie when she orchestrates a scheme designed to help him put the affair into perspective.

Production notes

In 1960, composer Charles Williams topped the American pop music charts with his

theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...

for the film ''

The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, Dav ...

''. It originally had been written for and was heard in this film under the title "Jealous Lover".

Principal cast

Hugh Williams Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (6 March 1904 – 7 December 1969) was a British actor and dramatist of Welsh descent. Early life and career Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (nicknamed "Tam") was born at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex to Hugh Dafydd Anth ...

..... Arnold Dickson *

Mai Zetterling Mai Elisabeth Zetterling (; 24 May 1925 – 17 March 1994) was a Swedish film director, novelist and actor. Early life Zetterling was born in Västerås, Sweden to a working class family. She started her career as an actor at the age of 17 at D ...

..... Arlette *

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

..... Julie Dickson *

Margot Grahame Margot Grahame (born Margaret Clark; 20 February 1911 – 1 January 1982) was an English actress most noted for starring in '' The Informer'' (1935) and ''The Three Musketeers'' (1935). She started acting in 1930 and made her last screen app ...

..... Helen Dickson *

Carol Marsh Carol Marsh (born Norma Lilian Simpson; 10 May 1926 – 6 March 2010) was an English actress, best known for playing the part of Rose in the 1947 film '' Brighton Rock''. Marsh was born in Southgate in North London and was educated at a convent ...

..... Patricia *

Raymond Lovell Raymond Lovell (13 April 1900 – 1 October 1953) was a Canadian-born actor who performed in British films. He mainly played supporting roles, often somewhat pompous characters. Lovell initially trained as a physician at Cambridge University ...

..... Hedge *

Paul Dupuis Paul Dupuis (August 11, 1913 – January 23, 1976) was a French Canadian film actor who was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and who performed in British films during the late 1940s. The roles he played were mainly as the romantic leading man. ...

..... Henri Sinclair *

Margaret Barton Margaret Ann Barton (born 27 May 1926) is a British retired actress. She is best known for her role in the 1945 David Lean film ''Brief Encounter'' in which she played Beryl Walters, a girl who works in the railway station cafe. Early career Ba ...

..... Bessie *

Marie Ney Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in Tro ...

..... Miss Hallam * Mark Daly ..... Withers

Critical reception

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' called the film a "flimsy, but in parts not unamusing trifle" that is "very theatrical" and added, "Mai Zetterling has an unsuitable role for her as a French girl and Hugh Williams is suitably stodgy as the master. His wife is well characterised by Margot Grahame and Petula Clark is charming and ingenuous as his daughter." ''Today's Cimema'' described it as a "rather dull story" that "lacks the sparkle and fun that would have widened its appeal . . . Mai Zetterling is too mature for the role of Arlette, for her mannerisms become irritating and her attitude quite absurd. Petula Clark is much more successful as the master's charming daughter Julie, for she has been given a role suited to her age and experience . . . ''The Romantic Age'' should amuse adolescents who may be more able to appreciate its point but it is unlikely to be equally entertaining to adults." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' rates the film two out of a possible four stars and comments, "It's not a particularly tasteful theme, nor is the comedy handled with the wit necessary to pull it off. The results are fairly pedestrian and lack any real style".''TV Guide'' review
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References

External links

''The Romantic Age'' at the Internet Movie Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romantic Age, The 1949 films 1949 drama films British drama films British black-and-white films Compositions by Charles Williams Films based on French novels Films about scandalous teacher–student relationships Films set in schools Films directed by Edmond T. Gréville 1940s English-language films 1940s British films