''The Silken Affair'' is a 1956 British
romantic comedy film directed by
Roy Kellino
Roy Kellino (born Philip Roy Gislingham; 22 April 1912 – 18 November 1956) was an English film director, producer and cinematographer.
Biography
He was born Philip Roy Gislingham in Lambeth, South London, the son of the silent-era director W ...
and starring
David Niven
James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
,
Geneviève Page
Geneviève Page (born Geneviève Bonjean, 13 December 1927) is a French actress with a film career spanning fifty years and also numerous English-speaking film productions. She is the daughter of French art collector Jacques Paul Bonjean (1899– ...
,
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Wilfrid Hyde-White (12 May 1903 – 6 May 1991) was a British character actor of stage, film and television. He achieved international recognition for his role as Colonel Pickering in the film version of the musical ''My Fair Lady'' (1964).
Ear ...
,
Joan Sims,
Irene Handl
Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films.
Life
Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...
and
Ronald Squire
Ronald Launcelot Squire (25 March 1886 – 16 November 1958) was an English character actor.
Biography
Born in Tiverton, Devon, England, the son of an army officer, Lt.-Col. Frederick Squirl and his Irish-born wife Mary (Ronald's surname 'Sq ...
. The screenplay concerns an accountant who is creative with his firm's books and uses the money to fund a romantic spree.
Cast
*
David Niven
James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
as Roger Tweakham
*
Geneviève Page
Geneviève Page (born Geneviève Bonjean, 13 December 1927) is a French actress with a film career spanning fifty years and also numerous English-speaking film productions. She is the daughter of French art collector Jacques Paul Bonjean (1899– ...
as Genevieve Gerard
*
Ronald Squire
Ronald Launcelot Squire (25 March 1886 – 16 November 1958) was an English character actor.
Biography
Born in Tiverton, Devon, England, the son of an army officer, Lt.-Col. Frederick Squirl and his Irish-born wife Mary (Ronald's surname 'Sq ...
as Marberry
*
Beatrice Straight
Beatrice Whitney Straight (August 2, 1914 – April 7, 2001) was an American theatre, film and television actress and a member of the prominent Whitney family. She was an Academy Award and Tony Award winner as well as an Emmy Award nominee.
...
as Theora
*
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Wilfrid Hyde-White (12 May 1903 – 6 May 1991) was a British character actor of stage, film and television. He achieved international recognition for his role as Colonel Pickering in the film version of the musical ''My Fair Lady'' (1964).
Ear ...
as Sir Horace Hogg
*
Howard Marion-Crawford
Howard Marion-Crawford (17 January 1914 – 24 November 1969), the grandson of writer F. Marion Crawford, was an English character actor, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in the 1954 television adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. In 1 ...
as Baggott
*
Dorothy Alison
Dorothy Alison (4 April 1925 – 17 January 1992) was an Australian stage, film and television actress
Biography
Dorothy Alison was born in the New South Wales mining city of Broken Hill and educated at Sydney Girls High School. She moved t ...
as Mrs. Tweakham
*
Miles Malleson as Mr. Blucher
*
Richard Wattis
Richard Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s.
Early life
Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the ...
as Worthington
*
Joan Sims as Lady Barber
*
Irene Handl
Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films.
Life
Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...
as Receptionist
*
Charles Carson as Judge
*
Harry Locke
Harry Locke (10 December 1913 – 7 September 1987) was an English character actor.
He was born and died in London. He married Joan Cowderoy in 1943 and Cordelia Sewell in 1952. He was a good friend of the poet Dylan Thomas. Their friendship in ...
as Tobacconist
*
Martin Boddey
Albert Martin Boddey (16 April 1907 – 24 October 1975) was a British film and television actor.
He was a founder member of the Lord's Taverners charity. Boddey started acting when he was nearly 40, often portraying irritable authority fig ...
as Detective
Critical reception
In the ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves ...
'',
David McGillivray called it a "frivolous romantic comedy," in which, "the theme was exploited much more effectively 20 years later in
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker. Beginning his career under B-movie producer Roger Corman, Demme made his directorial debut with the 1974 women-in-prison film '' Caged Heat'', befo ...
's ''
Something Wild''", while ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news.
The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008.
Corporat ...
'' wrote, "This film tries to be a light, stylish British comedy in the sophisticated manner that is one of Britain's best exports; however, the plot is too implausible and the script doesn't give the actors much to work with. The direction compensates somewhat in a handsome looking production. The cast does give it their all, with Niven in his usual witty performance and international leading lady Page as the love interest, winning kudos from the critics for her debut in English films".
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silken Affair
1956 films
Films shot at Associated British Studios
Films directed by Roy Kellino
1956 romantic comedy films
British romantic comedy films
1950s English-language films
1950s British films
British black-and-white films