''For Better, for Worse'' is a 1954 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 o ...

Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was on ...

directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as '' Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Org ...

Susan Stephen Susan Rennie Stephen (16 July 1931 – 21 April 2000) was an English film actress. Born in London, she was known in the 1950s for appearing in a number of B-films. She appeared in over 20 films including ''The Red Beret'' (1953), ''The Hou ...

and

Cecil Parker Cecil Parker (born Cecil Schwabe, 3 September 1897 – 20 April 1971) was an English actor with a distinctively husky voice, who usually played supporting roles, often characters with a supercilious demeanour, in his 91 films made between ...

. It was based on

Arthur Watkyn Arthur Watkins (1907–1965) was a British writer and public official who served as Secretary of the British Board of Film Censors The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-govern ...

's play of the same title which had run for over 500 performances in the West End starring

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor, director, producer and author. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. ...

and

Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with ...

. It was released in the United States as ''Cocktails in the Kitchen''.

Plot

A young couple – Tony and Anne (

and

) decide to get married, however Tony does not have the required prospects that her father (

) insists on, so he sets his future son-in-law some conditions before allowing the wedding.

Cast

as Tony Howard *

as Anne Purves *

as Anne's Father *

Eileen Herlie Eileen Herlie (March 8, 1918 – October 8, 2008) was a Scottish-American actress. Personal life Eileen Herlie was born Eileen Isobel Herlihy to an Irish Catholic father, Patrick Herlihy, and a Scottish Protestant mother, Isobel Cowden, i ...

as Anne's Mother *

Athene Seyler Athene Seyler, CBE (31 May 188912 September 1990) was an English actress. Early life She was born in Hackney, London; her German-born grandparents moved to the United Kingdom, where her grandfather Philip Seyler was a merchant in London. Ath ...

as Miss Mainbrace *

Dennis Price Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose Price (23 June 1915 – 6 October 1973) was an English actor, best remembered for his role as Louis Mazzini in the film '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) and for his portrayal of the omnicompetent valet Jeeve ...

as Debenham * Pia Terri as Mrs. Debenham * James Hayter as the Plumber *

Thora Hird Dame Thora Hird (28 May 1911 – 15 March 2003) was an English actress and comedian, presenter and writer. In a career spanning over 70 years, she appeared in more than 100 film and television roles, becoming a household name and a Briti ...

as Mrs. Doyle * George Woodbridge as Alf *

Charles Victor Charles Victor (10 February 1896 – 23 December 1965) was a British actor who appeared in many film and television roles between 1931 and 1965. He was born Charles Victor Harvey. Born in Southport, Lancashire, England, Victor was a fourth ...

as Fred *

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series. Born to a mi ...

as the Foreman * Peter Jones as the Car Salesman *

Edwin Styles Edwin Styles (13 January 1899 – 20 December 1960) was a British stage comedian, pantomime actor, radio and TV performer and film actor. Partial filmography * ''Hell Below'' (1933) - Herbert Standish - Flight Comdr. * '' On the Air'' (1934) - Ed ...

as Anne's Boss * Mary Law as Girl in Office. * Leonard Sharp as First Workman *

Dennis Wyndham Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he marrie ...

as Second Workman *

Robin Bailey William Henry Mettam "Robin" Bailey (5 October 1919 – 14 January 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Often cast in upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Mr Justice Graves in Thames Television's '' ...

as Store Salesman * Digby Wolfe as Grocer's Assistant *

Geoffrey Hibbert Geoffrey Hibbert (2 June 1922 – 3 February 1969) was an English stage, film and television actor. Biography He made his screen debut with the lead role in John Baxter's '' The Common Touch'' (1941) and appeared in two other Baxter films, ''L ...

as Butcher's Assistant * Ronnie Stevens as Fishmonger's Assistant *

Jackie Collins Jacqueline Jill Collins (4 October 1937 – 19 September 2015) was an English romance novelist and actress. She moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and spent most of her career there. She wrote 32 novels, all of which appeared on The New York Times B ...

as Glamour Girl

Production

The film was based on a play by Arthur Watkins, a censor for the British film board who wrote plays under a pen name

. The play debuted in London in December 1952 with a cast including Leslie Philips, Dandy Nichols and Geraldine McEwan. Reviews called it "agreeable". It was a huge success, running for over 500 performances. The play was performed on radio and television. Film rights were purchased by Associated British. Susan Stephens had just been in ''

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the ri ...

'' at

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever ...

. It was the first role for Pia Terri from Italy. Filming took place at

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

, starting 1 March 1954. It was the first film shot there to use Eastman colour. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

Michael Stringer John Michael Stringer (26 July 1924 – 7 March 2004) was a film production designer, art director, painter and illustrator. Stringer's work as art director on ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (1971), involving much shooting in Yugoslavia, earned h ...

Reception

Box Office

The film was successful at the box office in Britain, helped in part by the fact Dirk Bogarde had just been seen in ''Doctor in the House''.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "there is nothing very original... but it is played with charm and veracity."

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 ...

noted "Arthur Watkyn's famous stage success has proved successful material for drama societies up and down the land – but still comes up like new in this bright little film version...Warm, human and charmingly funny domestic comedy, dressed up as fresh as paint by the colour camerawork."

References

External links

*
For Better For Worse
at Letterbox DVD * Films directed by J. Lee Thompson 1954 films Films shot at Associated British Studios British comedy films 1954 comedy films Films with screenplays by J. Lee Thompson British films based on plays Films about marriage Films set in London Films shot in London 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub