Value for Money
| Value for Money | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ken Annakin |
| Screenplay by | R. F. Delderfield William Fairchild |
| Based on | Value for Money by Derrick Boothroyd |
| Produced by | Sergei Nolbandov |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Edited by | Geoffrey Foot |
| Music by | Malcolm Arnold |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Value for Moneyis a 1955 Britishcomedy filmdirected byKen Annakinand starringJohn Gregson,Diana Dors,Susan StephenandDerek Farr.[1]It is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Derrick Boothroyd.
Plot[edit]
Chayley Broadbent has had the importance of frugality impressed upon him all his life by hisYorkshirefather. On his death, Chayley inherits £62,000, which includes his father's clothing factory in the (fictional) town of Barfield. He asks his girlfriend Ethel to marry him but is extremely unromantic, telling her it is to save money on his housekeeper. She accepts.
Chayley leaves Barfield for the first time in his life and visitsLondonto attend theFA Cup Final.Afterwards he goes to aWest End showand is pulled on stage by show-girl Ruthine. They go to dinner in a posh restaurant, where his "look after the pennies" attitude leads to him questioning the bill, to the embarrassment of Ruthine. Back in Yorkshire, Chayley shows Ethel a photo of Ruthine. She angrily rips it up.
Chayley returns to London and asks her to marry him. She declines, saying she wants to marry someone who has made something of himself.
Back home, he decides to be the kind of man that Ruthine wants, and, taking the mayor's advice on how to do this, gifts the Council land for a children's playground and community centrer. The local newspaper, where Ethel works as a reporter, runs an article on his generosity, but Ethel remains unimpressed, especially when Chayley says he is bringing Ruthine to Barfield.
Ruthine is surprised by how built-up and dirty Barfield is and how small and old-fashioned Chayley's house is. But when she hears stories about Chayley's wealth, she begins being affectionate to him. She attempts, unsuccessfully, to seduce him.
Ruthine and Ethel decide to teach him a lesson. Chayley receives two writs forbreach of promise:one from each of them. He chooses to marry Ethel.
Cast[edit]
- John Gregsonas Chayley Broadbent
- Diana Dorsas Ruthine West
- Susan Stephenas Ethel
- Derek Farras Duke Popplewell
- Frank Pettingellas Mayor Higgins
- Charles Victoras Lumm
- Ernest Thesigeras Lord Dewsbury
- Jill Adamsas Joy
- Joan Hicksonas Mrs. Perkins
- Donald Pleasenceas Limpy
- John Glyn-Jonesas Arkwright
- Leslie Phillipsas Robjohns
- Ferdy Mayneas waiter
- Charles Lloyd-Packas Mr. Gidbrook
Production[edit]
ProducerSergei Nolbandovdid not want Diana Dors in the movie but Ken Annakin, who had directed the actor inVote for Huggett(1949), insisted.[2]Dors was paid £5,000; it was her first movie under a three picture contract with Rank.[3]
Filming started 28 December 1954. It was the first film shot under Rank's new program to shoot everything inVistaVision.[4]Filming took place at Pinewood Studios.[5]Much of the Yorkshire location filming was inBatley,West Riding of Yorkshire,historically an area within theHeavy Woollen District.
Critical reception[edit]
The Monthly Film Bulletinwrote: "A heavy-handed script and indifferent direction successfully flatten out any comic ideas the story may have originally possessed, and the minimum of laughs are extracted from its morass of stock situations and conventional 'Yorkshire' humour. John Gregson and Diana Dors fight a losing battle with the script, and of the supporting players only Ernest Thesiger, as an ancient and doddering peer, is able to bring a touch of genuinely eccentric humour to the proceedings. The two musical numbers are tamely executed, and the use of VistaVision seems scarcely justified."[6]
Varietysaid the film will "give considerable amusement to unsophisticated local audiences, but which, may find it tough sledding in the Overseas territory. In the U. S,, particularly, the Yorkshire dialect will not be a selling aid. This is a modestly amusing piece, staged on a bigger scale than the story would seem to warrant, and offering a touch of spectacle in a couple of song and dance numbers."[7]
Filminkargued the movie should have focused on Dors rather than Gregson.[8]
Leslie Halliwellsaid: "Highly undistinguished north country romantic farce which wastes a good production and cast."[9]
TheRadio TimesGuide to Filmsgave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Take one bluff, penny-wise Yorkshireman and a blowsy, blonde showgirl, exaggerate every regional characteristic and then whisk them together into a romantic froth. Season with a couple of quaint cameos and you have this. The on-screen antics of John Gregson and Diana Dors (neither of whom are on form) are mediocre in this featherweight comedy."[10]
References[edit]
- ^"Value for Money".British Film Institute Collections Search.Retrieved7 February2024.
- ^Bret, Dvaid (2014).Diana Dors: Hurricane in Mink.Aurum Press.ISBN9781781313411.
- ^Dors, Diana (1960).Swingin' Dors.World Distributors. p. 111.
- ^"Pinewood Rank Prod Goes 100% V Vision".Variety.5 January 1955. p. 51.
- ^"GLAMOR MUSICAL AT PINEWOOD".The Australian Women's Weekly.Vol. 22, no. 39. 23 February 1955. p. 42.Retrieved10 July2020– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Value for Money".The Monthly Film Bulletin.22(252): 156. 1 January 1955 – via ProQuest.
- ^Review of filmat Variety
- ^Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020)."A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee".Filmink.
- ^Halliwell, Leslie (1989).Halliwell's Film Guide(7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 1075.ISBN0586088946.
- ^Radio Times Guide to Films(18th ed.). London:Immediate Media Company.2017. p. 895.ISBN9780992936440.
External links[edit]
- Value for MoneyatIMDb
- Value for MoneyatAllMovie
- Value for Moneyat BFI
- Value for Moneythen-and-now location photographs atReelStreets