ISN'T LIFE WONDERFUL

UK, 1952, 83 minutes, Colour.
Donald Wolfit, Eileen Herlie, Cecil Parker, Eleanor Summerfield, Robert Urquhart, Cecil Trouncer.
Directed by Harold French.

Isn't Life Wonderful is a pleasant English comedy, made in the early '50s, looking back to England at the turn of the century and the shift from empire to the modern era. It is set in an elegant family estate, concerns about the various members of the family - especially Uncle Willie and his drinking. Uncle Willie is portrayed by Donald Wolfit. Cecil Parker is at his most Cecil Parkerish as Charles, the head of the family. The film was made in attractive colour, re-creating some of the artificiality and style of the early 1900s.

1. Entertaining comedy? British tone? Satire?

2. Colour photography, the English estate, the house and the grounds, the countryside? Horses and carts, bicycles and cars? The musical score?

3. The title and its optimism? The original novel being Uncle Willie and the Bicycle Shop?

4. The device of the little boy telling the story, audiences identifying with him, speaking straight to the audience, commenting on the proceedings - from the limited awareness of the child? His participation in the action?

5. Charles and Isabel, the proper English couple? Charles and his cantankerous style, critical, wanting to contact members of parliament? What was proper and what was not? His discipline in the house? Servants, meals, Uncle Willie and his drinking, the bicycle shop, money, the other members of the family, Frank and his American fiancee, their staying with the nobility? His critical attitudes towards Kate? His mellowing and the success of the bicycle shop? The experiments in riding - and the danger for him? The buying of the bike for his son? The picnic and the fiasco with the car and the cart and horse? The attack on Sir George? The comedy with the telephone? His gradual mellowing? Isabel, the devoted wife, subservient - yet getting her own way? Her concern about Kate, Willie? Her son?

6. Kate and Willie? Kate and her love for Willie, concern at his disappearance? Willie and his drinking, the little boy finding him? Falling into the family meeting? His prospects? His love for drink? The bicycle shop and its success? The bike for the little boy, the bikes for the whole family? The picnic fiasco? His gradual reform? His finding his place in the family? Success?

7. Frank and Virginia, American forwardness, Sir George and his reactions, Virginia wanting Frank to stand up for her? Frank and his deference to the family, to Sir George? The clash, the reconciliation at the holiday estate?

8. The nobility, Sir George and his wife, their pomposity? The role of the servants - and their knowhow?

9. The colourful presentation of England at a time of change? The Victorian traditions and presumptions? The modern era - and the change of lifestyle, clothes, manners, transport?