''The Loves of Joanna Godden'' is a 1947 British

historical drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...

film directed by

Charles Frend Charles Herbert Frend (21 November 1909, Pulborough, Sussex – 8 January 1977, London) was an English film director and editor, best known for his films produced at Ealing Studios. He began directing in the early 1940s and is known for such ...

and produced by

Michael Balcon Sir Michael Elias Balcon (19 May 1896 – 17 October 1977) was an English film producer known for his leadership of Ealing Studios in West London from 1938 to 1955. Under his direction, the studio became one of the most important British film ...

. The screenplay was written by

H. E. Bates Herbert Ernest Bates (16 May 1905 – 29 January 1974), better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer. His best-known works include ''Love for Lydia'', '' The Darling Buds of May'', and '' My Uncle Silas''. Early life H.E. Bates was ...

and

Angus MacPhail Angus Roy MacPhail (8 April 1903 – 22 April 1962) was an England, English screenwriter, active from the late 1920s. He is best remembered for his work with Alfred Hitchcock. Early life and education Son of merchant clerk Angus MacPhail an ...

from the novel '' Joanna Godden'' (1921) by

Sheila Kaye-Smith Sheila Kaye-Smith (4 February 1887 – 14 January 1956) was an English writer, known for her many novels set in the borderlands of Sussex and Kent in the English regional tradition. Her 1923 book ''The End of the House of Alard'' became a best- ...

. It stars

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...

Jean Kent Jean Kent (born Joan Mildred Field; 29 June 1921 − 30 November 2013) was an English film and television actress. Biography Born Joan Mildred Field (sometimes incorrectly cited as Summerfield) in Brixton, London in 1921, the only child of va ...

John McCallum John McCallum (born 9 April 1950) is a Canadian politician, economist, diplomat and former university professor. A former Liberal Member of Parliament ( MP), McCallum was the Canadian Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2019. He was asked for h ...

Derek Bond Derek William Douglas Bond MC (26 January 1920 – 15 October 2006) was a British actor. He was President of the trade union Equity from 1984 to 1986. Life and career Bond was born on 26 January 1920 in Glasgow, Scotland. He attended Haberd ...

Chips Rafferty John William Pilbean Goffage MBE (26 March 190927 May 1971), known professionally as Chips Rafferty, was an Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the late 1930s until his death ...

and Sonia Holm. Some scenes were shot by director

Robert Hamer Robert Hamer (31 March 1911 – 4 December 1963) was a British film director and screenwriter best known for the 1949 black comedy ''Kind Hearts and Coronets''. Biography Hamer was born at 24 Chester Road, Kidderminster, along with his twi ...

when Frend was ill, though he was uncredited. The music was composed by

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

.1948 ''Daily Mail'' Film Award Annual

Plot

In Edwardian Britain, a young woman has three suitors who seek her hand in marriage. When Joanna Godden's father died, he bequeathed her a farm in

Romney Marsh Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about . The Marsh has been in use for centuries, though its inhabitants commonly suffered from malaria until the ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. Joanna is determined to run the farm herself. Her neighbour Arthur Alce (

), laughs at her ambitions, but loves her. Choosing a new shepherd, she allows physical attraction to a man to overcome her judgment as a farmer, and her scheme for cross-breeding sheep is unsuccessful. Her wealth gone, she turns to Arthur Alce for help - but not love. ''That'' she accepts from Martin Trevor (

), a visitor from the world beyond the Marsh. But on the eve of their marriage, Martin dies.

Cast

as Joanna Godden *

as Ellen Godden *

as Arthur Alce *

as Martin Trevor *

Henry Mollison Evelyn Henry Mollison (21 February 1905 – 19 July 1985) was a British theatre and film actor. He was the brother of the actor Clifford Mollison. During World War II, he was held as a Prisoner of War for five years by the Nazis, after his ...

as Harry Trevor *

as Collard *

Sonia Holm Sonia Holm (24 February 1922 – 2 July 1974) was an English film actress. She trained at the Rank Organisation's "charm school". Filmography * ''The Loves of Joanna Godden'' (1947) * '' When the Bough Breaks'' (1947) * '' Miranda'' (1948) * ''B ...

as Louise *Josephine Stuart as Grace Wickens *

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 Isaac Turk *

Douglas Jefferies Douglas Jefferies (1884–1959) was a British stage and film actor. Selected filmography * '' A Safe Affair'' (1931) - Henry * '' Channel Crossing'' (1933) - Dr. Walkley * '' What Happened to Harkness?'' (1934) - (uncredited) * ''The Cardinal'' ...

as Huggett and the people of

Production

The film was based on ''Joanna Godden,'' a novel by

originally published in 1921. The book was popular enough for Kaye-Smith to write a sequel, ''Joanna Godden Married,'' published in 1926. After World War Two, Ealing Studios decided to film the novel, with a screenplay written by

and

. The film had an ending different from the novel. The studio cast Googie Withers to star; she had been a hit in ''

Pink String and Sealing Wax ''Pink String and Sealing Wax'' is a 1945 British drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns. It is based on a play with the same name by Roland Pertwee. It was the first feature film Robert Hamer directed on his own. The ti ...

''. Lead roles were given to Australians John McCallum, who had been put under long-term contract to Rank, and Chips Rafferty, who had just starred in ''The Overlanders'' for Ealing. The casting of Withers and Kent was announced in July 1946. Filming took place in August and September 1946, with location filming in Kent. Withers and McCallum fell in love during filming and later married. They named their first child "Joanna" in honour of the film.

References

External links

*
''The Loves of Joanna Godden'' at BFI ScreenonlineReview of film
at ''Variety'' 1947 films Ealing Studios films Films directed by Charles Frend Films produced by Michael Balcon Films set in the 1900s Films scored by Ralph Vaughan Williams Films set in Kent British historical drama films 1940s historical drama films British black-and-white films 1947 drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-film-stub