COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
US, 1959, 102 minutes, Colour.
Deborah Kerr, Rossano Brazzi, Maurice Chevalier, Martin Stephens, Tom Helmore, Ronald Squire, Patricia Medina, Mona Washbourne.
Directed by Jean Negulesco.
Count Your Blessings is based on a novel by Nancy Mitford. It was directed by veteran Jean Negulesco, a director of tough thrillers at Warner Bros in the 1940s, moving to 20th Century- Fox with smaller-budget but very effective dramas including a version of Titanic. However, with How to Marry a Millionaire and Woman’s World in 1954, he began a five-year period of very glossy entertainments including The Rains of Ranchipur, A Certain Smile, The Best of Everything.
The film has an attractive cast led by Deborah Kerr. She plays a woman who marries a French count during World War Two, separated from him for almost nine years, reuniting but finding he is a philanderer. She is still attracted to him but her son, Martin Stephens, does not want them to get back together. The supporting cast is led by Maurice Chevalier as a duke.
This is conventional glossy entertainment, widescreen, colour, luxury settings.
1. The significance and tone of the title? A comedy, romance, human story? How well did these ingredients blend? Which aspect dominated?
2. The English and the Paris settings, colour, Cinemascope, music? A lush background for a romantic woman’s' picture?
3. The establishing of the war situation, the hurriedness of marriages? The pros and cons of such marriages? Grace and her readiness, the impulsiveness of Charles? Her waiting during the years of war, her waiting ten years afterwards? Was this aspect of the plot credible?
4. The film's presentation of Grace? Deborah Kerr’s style, the stiff Englishwoman, her immediate reaction to Charles, her guiding him around London and its formality, her falling in love? The romance of the three days? The birth of Sigi? The device of her making the rug over the years? Should she have just waited, should she have sought Charles out? How strong a character, how silly in some aspects of her character?
5. The contrast with Charles? The suave Frenchman, his military and wealthy background, his war responsibilities, his pushing the advances on Grace? His attitude towards the marriage, motivations? The reasons for hit staying away, imprisonment, other duties, Indo, China? His relationship with other women, especially in Indo-China?
6. The contribution of Nanny and her hostile attitudes towards the French, Grace's father, Hughie and his patience, the various servants?
7. The dramatic impact of Grace and Charles meeting, the need for them to get to know each other, the bases for establishing their marriage? How had each changed? The change that each had to go through during the marriage? The reaction to Sigi? His influence? Did each of them try hard enough? The strengths and weaknesses in each? The importance of Albertine? The motives for Grace's leaving? The decision about the divorce?
8. The presentation of Sigi, his English background and manner, his adapting to the French? A precocious little boy, in relationship to his mother, to his father? His happiness with each, his belief that bad children would be punished, the significance of his running away? The experience of wandering Paris at night? The significance of his
being on the statue at the rally?
9. How did Sigi unite the two? was this credible?
10. The importance of Uncle and his humanity, his love for Grace, his French pride and belief in Charles, his kindness to Sigi?
11. How credible was the ending? The possibilities for the future?
12. What were the main points behind this romantic comedy?
