Storm in a Teacup | |
---|---|
Directed by | Ian Dalrymple Victor Saville |
Written by | Bruno Frank (play: original German) James Bridie (play: Anglo-Scottish translation) Donald Bull Ian Dalrymple |
Produced by | Victor Saville |
Starring | Vivien Leigh Rex Harrison Cecil Parker Sara Allgood |
Production company | |
Distributed by | United Artists (US) |
Release dates | 12 June 1937 (UK)[1] 22 November 1937 (US)[1] |
Running time | 87 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Storm in a Teacup is a 1937 British romantic comedy film starring Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison in his first starring role,[2][3] Cecil Parker and Sara Allgood. It is based on the German play Sturm im Wasserglas by Bruno Frank, as well as the English-language adaptations: London's Storm in a Teacup and Broadway's Storm Over Patsy, both written by James Bridie.[4] A reporter writes an article that embarrasses a politician. Meanwhile, the newspaperman is also attracted to his target's daughter.
Cast
- Vivien Leigh as Victoria Gow
- Rex Harrison as Frank Burdon
- Cecil Parker as Provost William Gow
- Sara Allgood as Honoria Hegarty
- Ursula Jeans as Lisbet Skirving
- Gus McNaughton as Horace Skirving
Reception
At the time of the film's initial release, reviews were favourable. In The New York Times, Frank S. Nugent called it "an engaging miniature" and "a splendid comic brew".[5] The critic for The Montreal Gazette wrote, "the excellent story is done fullest justice by the directors, Victor Saville and Dalrymple, and by the large and often-brilliant cast."[4] The critic for Boys' Life called it "a riot of fun for the audience."[6]
The number of favourable reviews grew over time. Leonard Maltin rated this movie three out of four stars and called it "witty social comedy."[7] The book Guide to British Cinema considered this film as one of Victor Saville's "well-crafted, genre films" and "the breezy Rex Harrison–Vivien Leigh social comedy."[8] The book British Film Directors: A Critical Guide called it "a whimsical comedy with anti-fascist undercurrents."[9] The book A Chorus of Raspberries: British Film Comedy 1929-1939 considered this film "one of the best British comedies of the decade."[10]
However, some reviews were either mixed or not positive. Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World Movie Reviews, while he liked the performances of both Leigh and Harrison, considered the story "so incredibly naive that it doesn't travel well into modern times."[3] Anne Edwards, author of the 1977 biography of Vivien Leigh, considered this film a "funny but inconsequential comedy;" nevertheless, she called Leigh's performance "witty and warm" for her role that "could not have given [Leigh] much pride of accomplishment."[11]
References
- ^ a b Edwards. p. 300. The American Film Institute Catalog claimed that this film was released on 25 February 1937. The copyright date, as AFI and Copyright Catalog declared, was 10 August 1937.
- ^ Frank Miller. "Storm in a Teacup (1937)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 25 December 2011.[verification needed]
- ^ a b Dennis Schwartz (8 September 2010). "It doesn't travel well into modern times". Ozus' World. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
- ^ a b Herbert J. Whittaker (11 June 1938). ""Storm in a Teacup" Is Given Excellent All-Round Treatment In Saville-Dalrymple Version". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ Frank Nugent (22 March 1938). "Storm in a Teacup (1937): The Screen; Tight Little Comedy Is 'Storm in a Teacup,' Which Mr. Korda Is Showing at the Little Carnegie". The New York Times.
- ^ Mathiews, Franklin K. (January 1938). "Movies of the Month". Boys' Life. New York: The Boy Scouts of America. p. 23. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. New York: The Penguin Group. p. 1322. ISBN 978-0-452-28978-9.
- ^ Mayer, Geoff (2003). Guide to British Cinema. Westport, Connecticut: Greewood Publishing Group. p. 334. ISBN 0-313-30307-X.
- ^ Shail, Robert (2007). British Film Directors: A Critical Guide. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Edinburgh University Press. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-8093-2831-1.
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(help) - ^ Sutton, David. A Chorus of Raspberries: British Film Comedy 1929-1939. Exeter, United Kingdom: University of Exeter Press. p. 224.
- ^ Edwards. p.68.
- Edwards, Anne. Vivien Leigh: A Biography. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977. Print. ISBN 0-671-22496-4.
Further reading
- McFarlane, Brian, ed.; Anthony Slide, asst. ed. The Encyclopedia of British Film: Second Edition – Fully Updated and Revised. London: Methuen Publishing, 2005. Print. ISBN 978-0413775269.
- Moore, Rachel. "Love Machines." Film Studies 4 (2004): 2-3. Web. 4 Jan. 2012. <http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/uploads/docs/040001.pdf>
- Robertson, James C. (1982). "British Film Censorship goes to war". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 2 (1). London: Routledge: 49–64. doi:10.1080/01439688200260041.
- Slide, Anthony. Fifty Classic British Films, 1932-1982: A Pictorial Record. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1985. Print. ISBN 0-486-24860-7.
- Library of Congress. Copyright Office. "Dramatic Compositions." Catalog of Copyright Entries: Part 1, Group 3: Dramatic Composition and Motion Pictures: 1938 New Series: Volume 11, No. 2. Washington: GPO, 1939. 46. Google Books. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
- Library of Congress. Copyright Office. "Motion Pictures." Catalog of Copyright Entries: Part 1, Group 3: 1937 New Series: Volume 10, No. 10. Washington: GPO, 1938. 347. Google Books. Web. 5 Jan. 2012.
- Library of Congress. Copyright Office. "Federal Register: April 17, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 74): Notices: Page 19287-19366." GPO, 1998. 19299-300. Web. 6 Jan. 2012 <http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1998/63fr19287.html>. <http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1998/63fr19287.pdf>.
External links
- Storm in a Teacup at AllMovie
- Storm in a Teacup at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Storm in a Teacup at IMDb
- Storm in a Teacup at the TCM Movie Database
- Storm in a Teacup at "Public Domain" of the Peter Rodgers Organization official website