''Glad Tidings'' is a 1953 British second feature ('B')

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Wolf Rilla Wolf Peter Rilla (16 March 1920 – 19 October 2005) was a film director and writer of German background, who worked mainly in the United Kingdom. Rilla is known for directing '' Village of the Damned'' (1960). He wrote many books for students, ...

and starring Barbara Kelly,

Raymond Huntley Horace Raymond Huntley (23 April 1904 – 15 June 1990) was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s to the 1970s. He also appeared in the ITV period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' as the pragmatic family soli ...

and Ronald Howard. It was written by Rilla based on the play of the same title by R. F. Delderfield.

Plot

A retired RAF officer returns home to his sleepy little rural community with an attractive new American fiancée, to the initial resentment of his children.

Cast

* Barbara Kelly as Kay Stuart *

as Tom Forester * Ronald Howard as Corporal Nicholas Brayne * Jean Lodge as Celia Forester *

Terence Alexander Terence Joseph Alexander (11 March 1923 – 28 May 2009) was an English film and television actor, best known for his role as Charlie Hungerford in the British TV drama '' Bergerac'', which ran for nine series on BBC1 between 1981 and 1991. Ea ...

as Flight Lieutenant Spud Cusack * Diana Calderwood as Josephine Forester * Laurence Payne as Clive Askham *

Arthur Howard Arthur Howard (born Arthur John Steiner; 18 January 1910 – 18 June 1995) was an English stage, film and television actor. Life and career Born in Camberwell, London, Howard was the younger son of Lilian (née Blumberg) and Ferdinand "Frank" ...

as Mr. Boddington * Brian Smith as Derek Forester * Yvette Wyatt as Miggs Forester * Doris Yorke as Mrs. Boddington * Stella Richman as Anna * Harry Green as the golfer * John Warren as club barman * Louis Matto as waiter * Peter Forbes-Robertson as reception clerk

Production

The film was made at

Nettlefold Studios Walton Studios, previously named Hepworth Studios and Nettlefold Studios, was a film production studio in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England.Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, known locally as Walton, is a market town on the bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, Thames in northwest Surrey, England. It is in the Borough of Elmbridge, about southwest of central London. Walton forms part ...

, England, and on location. Art direction was by John Stoll. It was a rare early comedy from Anglo Amalgamated.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "A slow moving and not very amusing screen version of R. F. Delderfield's domestic comedy. The playing on the whole is adequate, and Raymond Huntley, as usual, gives a polished performance." ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' wrote: "The picture, which depends more on situation and dialogue than action for its fun, is smoothly portrayed by Barbara Kelly, Raymond Huntley, Ronald Howard and a host of sound supporting players, and their sure timing more than atones for its lack of movement. Jolly and sentimentally refreshing, it makes its point without wearing out shoe leather." ''

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' wrote: "Entertaining enough in parts, but so theatrical that you can almost hear the rattle of matinée teacups." '' Picture Show'' called the film "an amusing light comedy." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' wrote: "Plodding domestic trifle." ''

Sky Cinema Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema ...

'' said that the film provided "Raymond Huntley and Barbara Kelly ( Bernard Braden's wife) with rare leading roles in a feature film. Huntley gets a chance to break away from his stuffy bureaucrats and he's a pleasure to watch."

References

External links

*
''Glad Tidings''
at BFI {{Wolf Rilla 1953 films British comedy films British black-and-white films 1953 comedy films Films directed by Wolf Rilla Films shot at Nettlefold Studios British films based on plays Films shot in England Films set in England Films set in London 1950s English-language films 1950s British films English-language comedy films