The Good Beginning
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''The Good Beginning'' is a 1953 British
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by Gilbert Gunn and starring John Fraser, Eileen Moore and Peter Reynolds. It was written by Janet Green.


Plot

Recently married Johnny and Kit Lipton move into their new flat, and Kit tries to run the family home economically. Since she insists on only paying for things using the cash they have, there are few luxuries. When he is promoted at work, Johnny pays a deposit on a fur coat for Kit. When he falls behind on the payments, he turns – unsuccessfully – to gambling. When the furrier threatens to repossess the coat, to repay the debt Johnny embezzles money from his office. His friend Brian Watson rescues him, by persuading Kit to sell the coat and get the stolen money back to the company.


Cast

* John Fraser as Johnny Lipson * Eileen Moore as Kit Lipson * Peter Reynolds as Brian Watson * Lana Morris as Evie Watson *
Humphrey Lestocq Humphrey Lestocq (23 January 1919 – 29 January 1984) was a British actor, best known for his roles in ''Angels One Five'' (1952) and '' The Long Shadow'' (1961), and guest appearances in the television series '' The Avengers''. Lestocq sh ...
as Thorogood * Hugh Pryse as Braithwaite * Ann Stephens as Polly * Peter Jones as furrier * David Kossoff as dealer


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: "'There is really not enough material here to make a successful film; had it been treated as a comedy it might have shown some vitality, but the theme, which seems to be that if only one can become self-employed most money troubles will cease, is quite artificial. The script presents problems which few of the players can surmount and, though they do their best, only Peter Jones seems really at ease." ''
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: "Shrewd, snappy and morally sound domestic comedy drama. ... John Fraser and Eileen Moore admirably suggest the middle-class hero and heroine and their unaffected portrayals, backed up by resourceful direction, smoothly underline its basic human and humorous qualities, while at the same time contributing to a suspenseful climax. ... John Fraser and Eileen Moore are ideally cast as Johnny and Kit, and Peter Reynolds and Lana Morris score in contrast and create effective light relief as Brian and Evie. ... The dénouement has real suspense and completes a little gem of its type." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Too modest to be either comedy or drama."


References


Bibliography

* Harper, Sue & Porter, Vincent. ''British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference''. Oxford University Press, 2007.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Good Beginning, The 1953 films 1953 drama films Films shot at Associated British Studios Films directed by Gilbert Gunn British drama films British black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films