''The Time of His Life'' is a 1955 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

Leslie S. Hiscott Leslie Stephenson Hiscott (25 July 18943 May 1968) was an English film director and screenwriter who made over sixty films between 1925 and 1956. He was born in London in 1894. He directed ''Alibi'' (1931), the first ever depiction of Hercule ...

and starring

Richard Hearne Richard Lewis Hearne (30 January 1908 – 23 August 1979) was an English actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best remembered for his stage and television character Mr Pastry. Career Hearne was born in Norwich, Norfolk, in 1908, the son ...

Ellen Pollock Ellen Pollock (29 June 1902 – 29 March 1997) was a British character actress who mainly appeared on stage in London's West End. She also appeared in several films and TV productions. A devotee of Bernard Shaw, she was president of the Shaw S ...

Richard Wattis Richard Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the ...

and

Robert Moreton Robert Moreton (born Henry Moreton; 25 June 1922 – 22 July 1957) was an English comedian and actor. Biography Born in Teddington, Middlesex, he initially had a successful straight acting career with the Old Vic Theatre, before becoming a s ...

. The screenplay concerns a man who is released from prison and goes to live with his

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...

daughter.

Plot

When newly released prisoner Mr. Pastry (Richard Hearne) arrives to stay, he proves an embarrassment to his social climbing daughter Lady Florence (Ellen Pollock). As president of the society for the rehabilitation of ex-convicts, she attempts to hide the fact her father is an ex-con. She locks Mr. Pastry in his bedroom, and even plots to have him sent to Australia. But Lady Florence's children see Mr. Pastry differently, and he helps them through a problem, prompting even his daughter to see Mr. Pastry in a new light.

Cast

as Charles Pastry *

as Lady Florence *

as Edgar *

as Humphrey *

Frederick Leister Frederick Leister (1 December 1885 – 24 August 1970), was an English actor. He began his career in musical comedy and after serving in the First World War he played character roles in modern West End plays and in classic drama. He appeared in ...

as Sir John * Peter Sinclair as Kane * John Downing as Simon * Anne Smith as Penelope *

Darcy Conyers Darcy Conyers (1919–1973) was a British screenwriter, actor, producer and film director. He is sometimes credited as D'Arcy Conyers. He was the founder and creator of Bistro Vino in South Kensington, London, in 1964 - possibly the first casua ...

as Morgan * Yvonne Hearne as Guest *

Peggy Ann Clifford Peggy Ann Clifford (23 March 1921 in Poole, Dorset – 26 May 1986, in Kensington), was an English film, stage, and television character actress. She was born Peggy Anne Hamley Champion. Her mother's maiden name was Clifford. She appeared in two ...

as Cook *

Arthur Hewlett Arthur Hewlett (12 March 1907 in Southampton, Hampshire – 25 February 1997 in London) was a British actor. Hewlett made his stage debut in 1930 at Plymouth Rep, and his theatre work included the original British production of Bernard Shaw ...

as Prison Governor *

Harry Towb Harry Towb (27 July 1925 – 24 July 2009) was an actor from Northern Ireland. Early life and career Towb was born in Larne, County Antrim, to a History of the Jews in Russia, Russian-Jewish father and an History of the Jews in Ireland, Irish- ...

as Steele

Critical reception

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 ...

'' gave the film two out of five stars, calling it a "simple comedy with likable characters"; the ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...

'' rated the film three out of five stars, and wrote, "Though not a patch on Pastry's many TV shows, it's still a nostalgic treat"; and ''

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 ...

'' also rated the film three out of five stars, writing, "Both comedy and pathos come off well in an unpretentious little film that has likeable characters, an acceptable story and some amusing situations. In the supporting cast: two other music-hall comedians – Robert Moreton, once famous for his 'Bumper Fun Book' and Peter Sinclair."

References

External links

* 1955 films 1955 comedy films British comedy films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Leslie S. Hiscott 1950s British films British black-and-white films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub