''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 o ...

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 and Judy Gunn. 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 B ...

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

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, ...

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 ...

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

as Charles Popinot *

as Nina Popinot * Eva Moore as Josephine Popinot * Judy Gunn as Blanche Popinot * Miles Malleson 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 1893 ...

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 t ...

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