1952 British film
Made in Heaven is a 1952 British Technicolor comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs which stars David Tomlinson, Petula Clark and Sonja Ziemann.[1][2] The screenplay was based on a story by William Douglas-Home. It was shot at Pinewood Studios outside London. The film's sets were designed by the art director Maurice Carter.
Plot summary
Young married couple Basil (David Tomlinson) and Julie Topham (Petula Clark) enter the ancient annual Dunmow Flitch Trials (in which a married couple can win a side of bacon if at the end of one year, they have 'not wisht themselves unmarried again'). However, the Topham's happy household, and then an entire village is thrown into chaos with the arrival of an attractive Hungarian housemaid (Sonja Ziemann).
Critical reception
In 1952, Picturegoer wrote, ". . .when you get down to analysing the ingredients, it's just cream-puff comedy, really – and the least bit stale cream puff at that. The main thing though is not to analyse but to swallow it whole and enjoy it. It's well-tried and not always especially true British comedy, but the film has a happy air about it. Attractively grown-up Pet Clark turns in a sparkling performance as the doubting young wife. She manages to hold her own against the devastating eyelashes and flashing, wicked smiles of Sonja Ziemann as the hired help. But it's the old hands at this kind of comedy who really carry the fun along: David Tomlinson, Charles Victor and A. E. Matthews, as son, father and grandfather respectively, all stock characters. Yes it's all gay and merry. It has a springtime spirit – and a springtime look, too in its spruce, sunny Technicolour";[3] while more recently, the Radio Times concluded, "Vicar Richard Wattis and his stern sister (Athene Seyler) add considerably to the fun, which is steadily directed in an amiably sitcom-like way by John Paddy Carstairs and glossily photographed by Geoffrey Unsworth."[4]
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