GENEVIEVE

UK, 1953, 86 Minutes, Colour.
John Gregson, Dinah Sheridan, Kenneth More, Kay Kendall, Geoffrey Keen, Joyce Grenfell.
Directed by Henry Cornelius.

Genevieve is a classic British comedy and was extremely popular in the early 50s. Written by William Rose who was later to go to America and write such films as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, the film was directed by Henry Cornelius who had only a short film career. The next year he was to make I Am a Camera (which became the musical, Cabaret). An entertaining cast, especially with comedians Kenneth More and Kay Kendall, give verve to this story of veteran cars and a
race from London to Brighton. There is a very enjoyable comic flavour about dialogue, situations, characters. Expert British comedy.

1. Why is this a classic British comedy? Why so enjoyable? Its best qualities?

2. How typical a film of the 50s? How British? Comment on its low-key style? The importance of incidents and satire?

3. The use of colour, sets in Brighton, the vintage cars, the value of the musical themes?

4. Why are cars always so interesting and appealing? The value of veteran cars and the way they were presented? The theme of cars and the mechanical attraction for men, men's devotion, pride, sentiment, the implications of the parade to Brighton, the race back?

5. The human values in the film? Especially in terms of cars, obsession, serving cars, acting like children? How did this contrast with the ordinary behaviour, eg. of the wives and girlfriends? What comment was made on human behaviour regarding cars?

6. Alan and his wife: their ordinariness, fighting, reconciliation, the comedy in this, their feelings, getting there, the hotel, the dinner, the jealousies, the reactions to the bets, the uglier aspects of the race? The fact that they were the 'goodies'?

7. Ambrose and Rosalind: satire on their social types, their smartness, Rosalind's drinking and the trumpet playing, the race, the bad aspects of the race, the fact that they seemed the baddies?

8. The irony of Genevieve winning by herself? Comment on the devices, tricks, humour of the race?

9. The main traits of humour: the laughs, the parody, the lines, Joyce Grenfell, the police, Reginald Beckwith etc.?

10. How ironic was the ending?