THE CHILTERN HUNDREDS
UK, 1949, 84 minutes, Black and white.
A.E. Matthews, Cecil Parker, David Tomlinson, Marjorie Fielding, Joyce Carey, Lana Morris.
Directed by John Paddy Carstairs.
The Chiltern Hundreds was a popular West End Play by William Douglas Home. Set in 1945, it was popular in the late '40s. So was the film version, directed by John Paddy Carstairs. It offered an excellent opportunity for A.E. Matthews to present his doddery English aristocrat and for Cecil Parker to be the aristocratic butler. David Tomlinson and Lana Morris are enjoyable in conventional central roles as the young lord and the serving maid.
1. Amusing British comedy? Satire? A Picture of the 1940s? The experience of the war, post-war, Churchill's era, Attlee's?
2. The stage origins of the film? Adaptation for the screen? British style? Black and white photography, locations? Musical score?
3. The title, British traditions, politics, retirement?
4. A picture of the '40s, the experience of war, British life and changes, politics, class distinctions? Use of comedy and farce?
5. Lord Pymm, the crash, his leave, the possibility of becoming a political candidate, his officer ensuring this, the return to June, her supporting him, attraction to Bessie? His parents and their reaction? Beecham and the running of the house? The Labour candidate, the political campaign, his loss? The clash with June? His becoming the Labour candidate? The clash with Beecham? The recounts? His loss? Beecham's retirement and his success?
6. Beecham and his snobbery, his service in the household, the car, the gun, cooking? His attraction to Bessie? His candidature, June pushing him, the campaign, his principles, the Tory? The recounts and his winning? Acting as butler, the persuasion to retire? With Bessie at the end?
7. The English aristocrat and his eccentricity, wealth, home, yet alert enough to what was going on? The possibility of changes? The humour at his shooting, absent-mindedness, crustiness? Introducing himself to Bessie etc? His wife, putting up with his mannerisms, her anger with her son?
8. June and her American background, love for Lord Pymm, scheming, Beecham's candidature, the defeat, the gunshot, the reconciliation?
9. The Labour candidate, campaign, going to the House of Lords, his attraction to the aristocratic sister - and the jokes at her expense with the lord?
10. The gallery of characters, incidents? Political campaigns? The army, the English household?
11. The satire on Britain in the '40s - satire on England's Empire past, the need for change?
