''The Clandestine Marriage'' is a 1999 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

Christopher Miles Christopher Miles (born 19 April 1939) is a British film director, producer and screenwriter. Personal life Miles was born in London, England, the eldest of four children to Clarice Remnant (‘Wren’), a councillor, and John Miles, a consulti ...

and starring

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primeti ...

Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall (born 27 February 1957) is an English actor and presenter. He became a household name in the UK after appearing as Barry Spencer Taylor in the 1983 ITV comedy-drama series '' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet''. Spall performed in '' ...

and

Tom Hollander Thomas Anthony Hollander (; born 25 August 1967) is an English actor. As a child Hollander trained with the National Youth Theatre and was later involved in stage productions as a member of the Footlights and was president of the Marlowe Soc ...

. It is based on the 1766 play ''

The Clandestine Marriage ''The Clandestine Marriage'' is a comedy by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick, first performed in 1766 at Drury Lane. It is both a comedy of manners and a comedy of errors. The idea came from a series of pictures by William Hogarth entit ...

'' by David Garrick and George Colman. This was also the final role for Nigel Hawthorne before his death.

Cast

as Lord Ogleby *

as Mrs. Heidelberg *

as Sterling *

as Sir John Ogelby * Paul Nicholls as Richard Lovewell *

Natasha Little Natasha Emma Little (born 2 October 1969) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Edith Thompson in the film '' Another Life'', Lady Caroline Langbourne in the BBC miniseries ''The Night Manager'', and Christina Moxam in the B ...

as Fanny *

Emma Chambers Emma Gwynedd Mary Chambers (11 March 1964 – 21 February 2018) was an English actress who performed in television, film, and the theatre. Beginning her career in 1987 on the British stage, Chambers first drew critical attention for her portr ...

as Betsy *

Cyril Shaps Cyril Leonard Shaps (13 October 1923 – 1 January 2003) was an English actor of radio, television and film, with a career spanning over seven decades. Early radio Shaps was born in the East End of London to Polish-Jewish parents; his father ...

as Canton *

Ray Fearon Raymond Fearon is an English actor. He played garage mechanic Nathan Harding on ITV's long-running soap opera ''Coronation Street'' and voiced the centaur Firenze in the Wizarding World film series ''Harry Potter'' and '' Fantastic Beasts''. ...

as Brush * Mark Burns as Capstick *

Timothy Bateson Timothy Dingwall Bateson (3 April 1926 – 15 September 2009) was an English actor. Life and career Born in London, the son of solicitor Dingwall Latham Bateson and the great-nephew of rugby player Harold Dingwall Bateson, he was educated at ...

as Gaoler * Craster Pringle as Ruben * Lara Harvey as Lucy *

Jenny Galloway Jenny Galloway is a British actress, and singer best known for her stage career which includes Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables. She has received numerous awards and nominations, winning the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress ...

as Mrs Trusty * Philippa Stanton as Chamber *

Cavan Kendall Cavan Spencer Kendall McCarthy (22 May 1942 – 29 October 1999) was a British actor. Life Kendall was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father was the son of music hall comedian and actress Marie Kendall. Through his father, Kendall was a ...

as Sergeant Flower * Roger Hammond as Traverse

Plot

Mr. Sterling is incredibly wealthy, but to his dismay not an aristocrat. He believes his social status will rise if he marries off his daughter Betsy to an aristocrat. Unknown to him however, his other daughter Fanny has already secretly married the man she loves, her fathers' clerk Richard Lovewell. To complicate matters, she is also pregnant. Sir John Ogleby is presented as a candidate to marry Betsy, and he and his father Lord Ogleby visit Mr. Sterling to make up the contract. Secretly, however, Lord Ogleby is impoverished and needs this marriage to provide his family with new wealth. While preparations are made to celebrate the engagement of Betsy and Sir John, including the building of a new fountain which will be the highlight of the feast and the centre piece of Mr. Sterlings'

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

garden, Fanny and Richard are trying to find a way to keep their marriage a secret, whilst Sir John seems to be much more interested in Fanny rather than Betsy. In the end, the secrets are out. But all ends well, when Fanny and Richard are forgiven, and Lord Ogleby himself marries Betsy.

References

External links

* 1999 films 1999 comedy films Films directed by Christopher Miles British comedy films British films based on plays 1990s English-language films 1990s British films English-language comedy films {{1990s-UK-comedy-film-stub