''Vintage Wine'' is a 1935 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
Henry Edwards and starring
Seymour Hicks
Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...
,
Claire Luce
Claire Luce (October 15, 1903 – August 31, 1989) was an American stage and screen actress, dancer and singer. Among her few films were ''Up the River'' (1930), directed by John Ford and starring Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart in their ...
,
Eva Moore
Eva Moore (9 February 1868 – 27 April 1955) was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1923 book of reminiscences, ''Exits and Entrances'', she des ...
and
Judy Gunn
Judy Gunn, born Joan Winfindale (10 February 1915 – 19 April 1991) was a British stage and film actress.
When she was thirteen, she played a leading role in a local dramatic performance and the following year she went to RADA to study, where s ...
. The film was made at
Julius Hagen
Julius Hagen (1884–1940) was a German-born British film producer who produced more than a hundred films in Britain.
Hagen originally worked as a salesman for Ruffels Pictures. He then worked his way up to become a production manager in the Br ...
's
Twickenham Studios
Twickenham Studios (formerly known as Twickenham Film Studios) is a film studio in St Margarets, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, that is used by various motion picture and television companies. It was established in 1913 by Ralph ...
, but was released by
Gaumont British Distributors which was the largest British film company at the time. The film was loosely based on a German play by Alexander Engels, which also formed the basis of the 1934
West End comedy by
Ashley Dukes
Ashley Dukes (29 May 1885 – 4 May 1959) was an English playwright/dramatist, critic, theatre manager.
Biography Personal life
Ashley Dukes was born one of five children in 1885. He was the son of the Congregationalist clergyman, Rev. Edwin J ...
and
Seymour Hicks
Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...
.
Synopsis
The members of the Popinot family of French
champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
tycoons suspect that the widowed head of the family Charles Popinot is keeping a
mistress
Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to:
Romance and relationships
* Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and generally living a wild life. Unbeknownst to them he has happily re-married and had a son with a much younger woman. She believes he is twenty years younger than he really is and is shocked when his relatives including his mother, grown-up sons and granddaughter arrive in Italy.
Cast
*
Seymour Hicks
Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...
as Charles Popinot
*
Claire Luce
Claire Luce (October 15, 1903 – August 31, 1989) was an American stage and screen actress, dancer and singer. Among her few films were ''Up the River'' (1930), directed by John Ford and starring Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart in their ...
as Nina Popinot
*
Eva Moore
Eva Moore (9 February 1868 – 27 April 1955) was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1923 book of reminiscences, ''Exits and Entrances'', she des ...
as Josephine Popinot
*
Judy Gunn
Judy Gunn, born Joan Winfindale (10 February 1915 – 19 April 1991) was a British stage and film actress.
When she was thirteen, she played a leading role in a local dramatic performance and the following year she went to RADA to study, where s ...
as Blanche Popinot
*
Miles Malleson
William Miles Malleson (25 May 1888 – 15 March 1969) was an English actor and dramatist, particularly remembered for his appearances in British comedy films of the 1930s to 1960s. Towards the end of his career he also appeared in cameo roles i ...
as Henri Popinot
*
Kynaston Reeves
Philip Arthur Reeves (29 May 18935 December 1971), known professionally as Kynaston Reeves, was an English character actor who appeared in numerous films and many television plays and series.
Early life
Reeves was born in London on 29 May 189 ...
as Benedict Popinot
*
Michael Shepley
Arthur Michael Shepley-Smith (29 September 1907 – 28 September 1961), known professionally as Michael Shepley, was a British actor, appearing in theatre, film and some television between 1929 and 1961.
He was born in Plymouth, Devon. Shepl ...
as Richard Emsley
*
A. Bromley Davenport
Arthur Henry Bromley-Davenport (29 October 1867 – 15 December 1946), better known as A. Bromley Davenport, was an English actor born in Baginton, Warwickshire, England, UK.
Bromley-Davenport made appearances in at least 77 films for te ...
as Pierre
*
Amy Brandon Thomas
Amy Marguerite Brandon Thomas (9 March 1890 – 6 May 1974) was an English film and stage actress. She was the daughter of the playwright Brandon Thomas. She is also known as Amy Brandon-Thomas.
Life and career
Amy Brandon Thomas was born in L ...
as Minor role
*
Elisabeth Croft as Minor role
* Kathleen Weston as Family Member.
References
Bibliography
*Low, Rachael. ''Filmmaking in 1930s Britain''. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
*Wood, Linda. ''British Films, 1927–1939''. British Film Institute, 1986.
External links
*
1935 films
1935 comedy films
Films directed by Henry Edwards
Films shot at Twickenham Film Studios
British comedy films
British films based on plays
Films set in France
Films set in Rome
British black-and-white films
1930s English-language films
1930s British films
{{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub