''Don't Bother to Knock'' (released as ''Why Bother to Knock'' in the United States) is a 1961 British

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Cyril Frankel Cyril Solomon Israel Frankel (28 December 19217 June 2017) was a British film and television director. His career in television began in 1953 and he directed for over 30 TV programmes until 1990. He directed many episodes of popular British TV sho ...

from a screenplay by

Denis Cannan Denis Cannan (14 May 1919 – 25 September 2011Denis Cannan(obituary)
...

and Frederic Gotfurt, based on the 1959 novel of the same name by

Clifford Hanley Clifford Leonard Clark "Cliff" Hanley (28 October 1922 – 9 August 1999) was a journalist, novelist, playwright and broadcaster from Glasgow in Scotland. Originally from Shettleston in the city's East End, he was educated at Eastbank Acad ...

. It stars Richard Todd, Nicole Maurey,

Elke Sommer Elke Sommer (; born Elke Baronin von Schletz, 5 November 1940) is a German actress. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in '' The Pink Panther'' sequel '' A Shot in the Dark'' (1964), th ...

, June Thorburn,

Rik Battaglia Rik Battaglia (byname of Caterino Bertaglia; 18 February 1927 – 27 March 2015) was an Italian film actor. He was born at Corbola, near Rovigo, Veneto. He mainly used the stage name of Rik Battaglia although alternate names he used for his f ...

and Judith Anderson.

Premise

Bill Ferguson, a

travel agent A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism-related services to the general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers to offer different kinds of travelling packages for each destinati ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, has an argument with his girlfriend Stella after he loses the key to his apartment. Unnoticed by Bill, Maggie, an American business associate of his, finds his key in his trouser cuff where he had dropped it, but, before returning it, she makes a copy of the key and gives Bill a gift of a case containing several copies of the key with his address on an attached metal tag. Subsequently travelling around Europe on a business trip, Bill has romantic encounters with three women, giving each one a standing invitation to visit him when in Edinburgh plus one of the keys to his flat. When two of them, plus the daughter of the other, arrive at about the same time to attend the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh F ...

, they all decide to stay with Bill, and Bill has to cope with the women all meeting each other, as well as Stella finding out about them.BFI.org
/ref>

Cast

* Richard Todd as Bill Ferguson * Nicole Maurey as Lucille *

as Ingrid * June Thorburn as Stella *

as Gulio * Judith Anderson as Maggie * Dawn Beret as Harry * Scott Finch as Perry *

Eleanor Summerfield Eleanor Audrey Summerfield (7 March 1921 – 13 July 2001) was an English actress who appeared in many plays, films and television series. She is known for her roles in '' Laughter in Paradise'' (1951), '' Final Appointment'' (1954), '' Odongo'' ...

as Mother *

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation c ...

as Father *

Colin Gordon Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor born in Ceylon. Biography He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of a horse in a ...

as Rolsom * Kenneth Fortescue as Ian * Ronald Fraser as Fred * Tommy Duggan as Al * Michael Shepley as Colonel * Joan Sterndale-Bennett as Spinster *

Amanda Barrie Amanda Barrie (born Shirley Anne Broadbent; 14 September 1935) is an English actress. She appeared in two of the '' Carry On'' films before being cast as Alma Halliwell in ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', which she played on and off for ...

as American Girl *

Warren Mitchell Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was a British actor. He was a BAFTA TV Award winner and twice a Laurence Olivier Award winner. In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes ''Educatin ...

as waiter (uncredited)

References

External links

* * * * * 1961 films 1961 comedy films British comedy films CinemaScope films Films based on British novels Films directed by Cyril Frankel Films scored by Elisabeth Lutyens Films set in Edinburgh Films shot at Associated British Studios Films shot in Edinburgh 1960s English-language films 1960s British films {{1960s-UK-comedy-film-stub