''Raising a Riot'' is a 1955 British
comedy film directed by
Wendy Toye and starring
Kenneth More,
Shelagh Fraser and
Mandy Miller about a naval officer who attempts to look after his three children in his wife's absence. It was shot at
Shepperton Studios near
London with sets designed by the
art director
Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games.
It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...
Joseph Bato
Joseph Bato (1888–1966) was a Hungarian artist. He fled Germany following the Nazi takeover due to his Jewish heritage and settled in London where he was employed as an art director and costume designer in the British film industry. He worked ...
.
Plot summary
Commander Peter Kent of the Royal Navy and his wife May have three children, ranging from five to eleven years: Peter, Anne and Fusty. Kent comes home after three years abroad with no idea how to handle the children. When Mary has to fly to Canada, Peter takes his children to his father's new country home, which turns out to be a windmill. They end up clashing with an American family in the neighbourhood.
Cast
*
Kenneth More as Peter Kent
*
Shelagh Fraser as Mary Kent
*
Mandy Miller as Anne Kent
* Gary Billings as Peter Kent
* Fusty Bentine as Fusty Kent
*
Ronald Squire as Grampy
*
Olga Lindo as Aunt Maud
*
Lionel Murton as Hary
* Mary Laura Wood as Jacqueline
*
Jan Miller Jan Miller may refer to:
*Jan Miller (actress), British film and TV actress of the 1950s and 1060s
*Jan Miller (squash), Australian squash player, won the Australian Open
The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbour ...
as Sue
*
Nora Nicholson as Miss Pettigrew
*
Anita Sharp-Bolster
Anita Sharp-Bolster (28 August 1895 – 1 June 1985) was an Irish-born American actress who appeared in 88 films and 12 TV series from 1928 to 1978. She was sometimes billed as Anita Bolster.
Early life
She was born 28 August 1895 in Glen ...
as Mrs Buttons
*
Michael Bentine as The Professor
* Dorothy Dewhurst as Mother
* Robin Brown as Junior
Production
The film was based on a book by American writer Alfred Toombs. The book was based on Toombs' real life experience of having to look after his children after having been away from them at war for three years.
One of the children is an uncredited Caroline John, who would later play Liz Shaw in Doctor Who.
Reception
Box office
The film was the eighth most popular movie at the British box office in 1955.
According to the
National Film Finance Corporation, the film made a comfortable profit.
Critical
''
The New York Times'' wrote, "Withal, it makes agreeable entertainment. Mr. More is a comical chap, particularly when he has a dog to cope with, as he had in the memorable ''
Genevieve''...''Raising a Riot'' is an amiable little film"; while more recently, the ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' called it "an inconsequential, one-joke comedy, kept moving by the polished More, but old-fashioned and rather flat"; and
AllMovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
described how the film "goes off on several directions, many of them hilarious: some of the best scenes involve the kids' ongoing feud with a bunch of American children."
References
External links
*
1955 films
1955 comedy films
British comedy films
Films directed by Wendy Toye
Films produced by Ian Dalrymple
Films with screenplays by Ian Dalrymple
London Films films
British Lion Films films
Films shot at Shepperton Studios
1950s English-language films
1950s British films
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