WOMAN HATER
UK, 1948, 96 minutes, Black-and-white.
Stewart Granger, Edwige Feuilliere, Ronald Squire, Jeanne De Casalils, David Hutcheson, Mary Jerrold, Miles Malleson, Michael Medlin, W.A.Kelly, Valentine Dyall, Irene Handl, Peter Bull, Dandy Nichols, James Hayter.
Directed by Terence Young.
This is a romantic comedy, British 1948 style. Contemporary audiences may find it too much embedded in its period, British filmmaking after the end of World War II.
The film was an opportunity for celebrated French actress, Edwige Feuilliere, to appear in an English language film. She seems at ease in her role but, perhaps, not in the film as a whole. However, the leading man is Stewart Granger, his usual well spoken, good-mannered English gentleman. However, he is required to play comedy, some pratfalls (including being knocked out and his eyes crossing, not convincingly). There is a very strong supporting cast of popular British character actors of the period. And the film was directed by Terence Young who, 14 years later, would become celebrated with directing Dr No.
The film has a screenplay with touches of the light, even the flippant. And Edwige Feuilliere portrays a celebrated French actress visiting London who decides that she wants to step out of the limelight, write something about her experiences with men, condemning them. She is attended by her maid, Jeanne De Casilis. Stewart Granger plays the Lord of the Manor, irritated by the attention given to the actress, offering her a retreat at his country mansion, and then pretending to be the man in charge of the estate rather than himself. Each of them takes an instant dislike to the other. He is supported in his shenanigans by the butler, comedy from Ronald Squire,
There are various misunderstandings. Eventually, there is a baptism in the estate Chapel and the actress discovers the truth. She has various tantrums, pretending to capsize in the lake for him to come to her rescue, he being knocked out and she rescuing him. She also does a sleepwalking turn causing a rumpus in his room. Eventually, left alone in the house at night, romantic music, dancing, he proposes and she reveals her intentions.
Needless to say, a lot of sorting out to be done, his feelings being hurt, she repentant, setting up a similar drowning rescue scenario.
More for film historians or for those interested in the history of British romance and comedy, or the career of Stewart Granger.
