Laughter In Paradise - Film - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Laughter In Paradise. Image shows from L to R: Captain James Deniston Russell (Alastair Sim), Station Constable (Colin Gordon)

Genre

Film

Released

1951

Stars

Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, Beatrice Campbell, Guy Middleton, A.E. Matthews, Joyce Grenfell, Anthony Steel, John Laurie and more

Writers

Michael Pertwee and Jack Davies

Director

Mario Zampi

Producer

Mario Zampi

Company

Renowned practical joker Henry Russell dies, leaving each of his four surviving relatives £50,000 - upon the condition that they meet the obligations of a very specific, tailored task in order to inherit.

Gathering for the reading of the will, his uptight sister Agnes is particularly outraged, and learns she must find and keep gainful employment as a domestic maid for at least a month. Cousin Simon, a rakish playboy, is instructed to marry the first single woman he speaks to after leaving the room; mild-mannered bank clerk Herbert must hold up his own bank manager at (toy) gun-point; and retired army officer Deniston - now a secret trash-novel author with a range of pseudonyms - must be convicted of a crime and spend at least 28 days in prison.

As each of the four begins to consider and set about their respective tasks with some trepidation, they find not just their worlds challenged, but their entire personalities. Can Herbert summon the courage to even stand up to his boss in a normal environment? Is Simon able to curtail his womanising ways? Just how is Deniston going to delay his marriage - set for just a fortnight's time - in order to fulfil his own challenge? Henry's not had his last laugh just yet!

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Additional details

UK certificate

U

Duration

94 minutes

Produced

1951

Distributors

Associated British Pathe

Production

Studio

Camera set-up

Single camera

Picture

Black and white

Broadcast details

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Recording details