Movie Review: Genevieve

Genevieve

J. Arthur Rank Organisation, La Société des Films Sirius, United Kingdom, 1953.

Alan McKim (John Gregson) wants to participate in London to Brington veteran car run using his car Darracq 1904 'Genevieve.' His wife Wendy (Dinah Sheridan) is not very interested. Their friend Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More) and participates with his new girlfriend Rosalind Peters (Kay Kendall). Despite a great deal of hours spent on repairs the cars barely hold together without breaking so all kind of comical mishaps happen along the way.

Alan

Genevieve

Wendy

Alan's and Ambrose's initially jovial chit chat evolves into humiliation contest and they plan to race to London to see who's the boss. The ladies must put up with their bragging men. Alan becomes jealous about Wendy and a slight marriage crisis looms when Alan places a bet worth all of their savings. Let the best driver win!

Ambrose and Rosalind

The car is stuck

Hawling like brooligans?

Henry Cornelius had only a brief career as a director and his most famous comedies must be "Passport to Pimlico" and "Genevieve." "Genevieve" is a classic 1950s British comedy from the bygone era with jovial British characters speaking in classic British manner (jolly good, old sport!) and slow cars driving through England's countryside. The actors make nice performances with the men obsessed with their cars and the ladies trying to cope with it. Some of the highlights are the McKim's spending a night in a terrible hotel and Rosalind showing her trumpet playing skills in a bar. The carefree world and gently mischievous comedy of "Genevieve" remind of "Last of the Summer Wine" series and not only because of the harmonica soundtrack. This must be one of the few movie with street racing 1904 model cars.  

Street racing 1904 style!

Rating: Very good

Starring: Dinah Sheridan, John Gregson, Kay Kendall, Kenneth More, Geoffrey Keen, Reginald Beckwith, Arthur Wontner, Joyce Grenfell, Leslie Mitchell, Michael Balfour, Joe E. Carr, Lesley Dudley, Stanley Escane, Fred Griffiths, Charles Lamb, Aileen Lewis, Arthur Lovegrove, Edward Malin, Edie Martin, Michael Medwin, Harold Siddons, Christopher Warbey, Patrick Westwood

Director: Henry Cornelius