''My Wife's Lodger'' is a 1952 British

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

and starring

Dominic Roche Dominic Roche (1902–1972), was a British actor and playwright. His 'North country farce' My Wife's Lodger had a West End run in 1950,and was filmed with Roche in the leading role. The BFI Screenonline observed, "Roche's impressively spiky, downb ...

Olive Sloane Olive Sloane (16 December 1896 – 28 June 1963) was an English actress whose film career spanned over 40 years from the silent era through to her death. Sloane's career trajectory was unusual in that for most of her professional life she was e ...

and

Leslie Dwyer Leslie Gilbert Dwyer (28 August 1906 – 26 December 1986) was an English film and television actor. Career He was born in Catford, the son of the popular music hall comedian Johnny Dwyer, and acted from the age of ten and appeared in his firs ...

. It was written by Stafford Dickens based on the 1951 play ''My Wife's Lodger'' by Roche.

Plot

Willie Higginbotham is a soldier who returns home after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

only to find a

spiv A spiv is a petty criminal in the United Kingdom who deals in illicit, typically black market, goods. Spivs were particularly active during the Second World War and in the post-war period when many goods were rationed due to shortages. According ...

lodger has established himself in his place.

Cast

as Willie Higginbotham *

as Maggie Higginbotham *

as Roger the Lodger *

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a Bombshell (slang), blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, and Mamie Van ...

as Eunice Higginbotham * Alan Sedgwick as Tex * Vincent Dowling as Norman Higginbotham *

Vi Kaley Vi Kaley, (19 November 1878, Lambeth – 1967, Marylebone), was a British actress. Violet Kaley married the gymnast Alfred Lilley Artois (1874-1933) in 1899. Partial filmography * '' Lloyd of the C.I.D.'' (1932) * '' A Royal Demand'' (1933) * '' ...

as mother-in-Law *

Martin Wyldeck Martin Wyldeck (11 January 1914 – 29 April 1988) was an English actor who played a wide range of parts over many years on stage, screen and TV. He also appeared in the first episode of the TV series ''Fawlty Towers'', as Sir Richard Morris. Se ...

as policeman * David Hannaford as Vernon * Ilena Sylva as Vernon's mother * Ronald Adam as doctor *

Wally Patch Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970), known as Wally Patch, was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on th ...

as Sergeant * Derek Tansley as deserter * Alastair Hunter as Lance Corporal *

Toke Townley John Antony Townley (6 November 1912 – 27 September 1984), known professionally as Toke Townley, was an English actor. Biography Townley was born on 6 November 1912 at Great Dunmow, Essex; his father was a vicar. His first name, "John", was ...

as soldier * Fred Griffiths as driver *

Harry Locke Harry Locke (10 December 1913 – 7 September 1987) was an English character actor. He was born and died in London. He married Joan Cowderoy in 1943 and Cordelia Sewell in 1952. He was a good friend of the poet Dylan Thomas. Their friendship i ...

as passer-by

Production

Filming took place in May 1952. It was one of a series of low budget comedies Dors made around this time.

Critical reception

The ''

Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' said "this comedy runs through a repertoire of farcical situations of the most ancient variety. The playing does not lack energy but the music-hall style jokes – domestic bickering, mothers-in-law and so on – become very exhausting." ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' wrote: "Riotous "rough and ready" low life comedy, suggested by the stage success. ... There are no new jokes, but the shrewdly chosen cast makes the most of the evergreen. Wholesome, though occasionally vulgar, it's certain to tickle the crowd." The ''Daily Film Renter'' (quoted in

BFI Screenonline Screenonline is a website about the history of British film, television and social history as documented by film and television. The project has been developed by the British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and tele ...

) wrote, "the acting is of the 'Ee-bai-goom' school and the dialogue is the ripe, uninhibited language of the

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

... as briny as

jellied eels Jellied eels is a traditional English dish that originated in the 18th century, primarily in the East End of London. The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It is usually ...

Southend Pier Southend Pier is a major landmark in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom. Extending into the Thames Estuary, it is the longest pleasure pier in the world. The bill to build the new pier, to replace a previous timber jetty, received roya ...

." ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Few things date quicker than humour and Maurice Elvey's northern farce certainly belongs to another era. ... The humour is broad, the musical interludes dismal, but the cast's enthusiasm is infectious." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Vulgar Northern farce with ancient jokes; enthusiastically played." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' wrote: "the energy of the ensemble partly makes up for the film's lack of coherence and taste."

References

External links

*
''My Wife's Lodger'' at BFI ScreenonlineMy Wife's Lodger
at Letterbox DVD
My Wife's Lodger
at Reel Streets
My Wife's Lodger
at BFI {{Maurice Elvey 1952 films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Maurice Elvey 1952 comedy films British comedy films British black-and-white films 1950s British films English-language comedy films