''Loser Takes All'' is a 1956 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 ol ...

directed by

Ken Annakin Kenneth Cooper Annakin, OBE (10 August 1914 – 22 April 2009) was an English film director. His career spanned half a century, beginning in the early 1940s and ending in 2002, and in the 1960s he was noticed by critics with large-scale adventu ...

, starring

Glynis Johns Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (born 5 October 1923) is a South African-born British former actress, dancer, musician and singer. Recognised as a film and Broadway icon, Johns has a career spanning eight decades, in which she appeared in more than ...

Rossano Brazzi Rossano Brazzi (18 September 1916 – 24 December 1994) was an Italian actor. Biography Brazzi was born in Bologna, Italy, the son of Maria Ghedini and Adelmo Brazzi, an employee of the Rizzoli shoe factory. He was named after Rossano Ve ...

, and

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...

, with a screenplay by

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

based on his 1955 novella of the same name.

Synopsis

Tony Bertrand, an assistant accountant in a London firm, discovers a flaw in the accounting system. His boss, Dreuther, the powerful director and major shareholder of his company, arranges for Bertrand and his wife-to-be, Cary, to marry and honeymoon in Monte Carlo. Dreuther will meet the couple in Monte Carlo and be their witness, on board his private yacht. Dreuther does not show up, and the couple marry anyway; after two days at an expensive hotel, they are broke. With his last remaining cash, Bertand buys a 'system' from a tout that will guarantee winning at the casino. He starts to win large sums, and, fascinated by the mathematics of gambling, spends all his time in the casino. Out of pique, Cary takes up with Tony, a fellow guest. Dreuther finally arrives. Bertram agrees to sell his 'system' to another director of the company, in return for his shareholding, but the deal doesn't go through. Betrand and Cary get back together, and Bertram is happy - it is "loser takes all".

Cast

as Cary *

as Bertrand *

as Dreuther *

Tony Britton Anthony Edward Lowry Britton (9 June 1924 – 22 December 2019) was an English actor. He appeared in a variety of films (including ''The Day of the Jackal'') and television sitcoms (including '' Don't Wait Up'' and '' Robin's Nest'' He is the f ...

as Tony *

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Earl ...

as the Other *

Joyce Carey Joyce Carey, OBE (30 March 1898 – 28 February 1993) was an English actress, best known for her long professional and personal relationship with Noël Coward. Her stage career lasted from 1916 until 1987, and she was performing on television ...

as Bird's Nest *

Geoffrey Keen Geoffrey Keen (21 August 1916 – 3 November 2005) was an English actor who appeared in supporting roles in many films. He is well known for playing British Defence Minister Sir Frederick Gray in the ''James Bond'' films. Biography Early lif ...

as Reception Clerk *

Peter Illing Peter Illing (4 March 1899 – 29 October 1966) was an Austrian-born British film and television actor. Selected TV series * '' Deadline Midnight'' (1961) as Captain Dnieprovsky * '' The Saint'' (1962) as Inspector Buono Filmography * '' The S ...

as Stranger *

Albert Lieven Albert Lieven (born Albert Fritz Liévin; 22 June 1906 – 22 December 1971) was a German actor. Early life Lieven was born in Hohenstein, East Prussia (Olszynek, Poland). His father was the head physician of the Tuberculosis sanatorium Ho ...

as Hotel Manager * A.E. Matthews as Elderly Man in Casino *

Shirley Anne Field Shirley Anne Field (born Shirley Broomfield; 27 June 1938) is an English actress who has performed on stage, film and television since 1955, prominent during the British New Wave. Early life Broomfield was born in Forest Gate, Essex (now in ...

as Attractive Girl in Casino * Hal Osmond as Liftman (uncredited) *

Mona Washbourne Mona Lee Washbourne (27 November 1903 – 15 November 1988) was an English actress of stage, film, and television. Her most critically acclaimed role was in the film '' Stevie'' (1978), late in her career, for which she was nominated for a Gold ...

as Nurse (uncredited) *

André Maranne André Maranne (14 May 1926 – 12 April 2021) was a French-English actor best known for playing roles in English-language films beginning in the mid-1950s. Life and career Born André Gaston Maillol in Toulouse, France, Maranne's best known r ...

as Bar Waiter (uncredited) *

Charles Lloyd Pack Charles Lloyd-Pack (10 October 1902 – 22 December 1983) was a British film, television and stage actor. Life and career Lloyd-Pack was born at Wapping, East London, to working-class parents. He was seen in several horror films produced by th ...

as Sir Walter Blixon (uncredited) *

Walter Hudd Walter Hudd (20 February 1897 – 20 January 1963) was a British actor and director. Stage career Hudd made his stage debut in ''The Manxman'' in 1919, and later toured as part of the Fred Terry Company; first attracting serious attention play ...

as Arnold (uncredited) *

Joan Benham Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...

as Miss. Bullen (uncredited)

Production

Ken Annakin had just made a well received film from a Greene story, ''Across the Bridge'' and was allowed to have the film rights. He wanted

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage, film, and television actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved star status with his role in the film ''Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by ''T ...

to play the accountant and

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

to play the producer based on Alexander Korda. However Sir Arthur Jarratt, then head of British Lion, refused to finance with either actor, or another suggestion, David Niven as Bertrand.He did allow Rossano Brazzini who Annakin felt was "completely wrong for the character". Graham Greene wrote the script while with Annakin in Monte Carlo. Alec Guinness was offered the role of the producer but decided to accept a part in ''The Swan'' instead so Robert Morley was cast. According to Annakin, Glynis Johns and Brazzini had an affair during the making of the film which resulted in Johns falling pregnant.

Reception

Annakin wrotethe film "was a so-so success, with mixed notices. Despite the wrong casting, the seeds of failure lay in the novel with its ‘topsy-turvy’ moral standpoints. It turned out that although the book was brilliant and funny, cinema audiences had no sympathy for a girl who felt deserted by her husband during the few days he was amassing millions. The Glynis Johns character walked away from Bertrand because she felt he was no longer the nice simple guy she had fallen in love with. However, we all know that in real life, many women remain in unbearable relationships, especially if the man has loads of money."Annakin p 79

References

Citation

External links

* 1956 films British comedy films 1956 comedy films Films about gambling CinemaScope films Films directed by Ken Annakin Films based on works by Graham Greene Films with screenplays by Graham Greene Films set in Monaco Films shot in Monaco Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub