Welly-2

This is a magnificent film and all the better for this being such a surprise. There's a quiet dread when you watch any film that claims to be about sport, especially when so many of its stars are credited to appear. Wooden and contrived come to mind. This throws all such stereotypes out of the window and is a wonderful and thoughtful classic.

There is humour and a great deal of emotion, there is also a splendid performance from Jack Warner who really surprised me with his sensitive portrayal of a proud cricketer and father. Robert Morley hams it up as usual and there is the delight of a Richard Wattis cameo to add icing to this wonderful cake.

All in all, this is a joy to watch; intelligent and witty thanks to Terrance Rattigan's sharp script. I love cricket, but those that know nothing of it will still get a great deal of pleasure from this cracking film.

You can't ever complain about a Doris Day film, she brings a smile to the screen whenever she appears. This particular film, however, isn't quite in the league of most of her others. I'm not certain why that is, maybe it's because I find Rod Taylor very 2D or maybe it was because the plot became annoying as it got more contrived. This was obviously a film made from a play and you struggle to buy-in to the fact that this couple don't have a really serious problem if they are so swiftly prepared to believe in each other's infidelities.

The drunken Doris in Paris is almost upsetting because you just want to protect her and the modern view of the rest of the goings-on that the business convention seems to require don't sit comfortably. Doris is tremendous throughout, of course, and it's good to see the feisty side as well as the cute. I wasn't going to bother re-watching it if it came onto the telly again, but now I know you can spot Raquel Welch in the hotel lobby I might. A Doris and Raquel film.....there's a thing!