Quiet Weekend
Article
Talk
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quiet Weekend
Directed by Harold French
Written by Victor Skutezky
Stephen Black
T. J. Morrison
Warwick Ward
Based on the play Quiet Weekend
by Esther McCracken
Produced by Warwick Ward
Starring Derek Farr
Frank Cellier
Marjorie Fielding
George Thorpe
Barbara White
Cinematography Eric Cross
Edited by Flora Newton
Music by Charles Williams
Production
company
ABPC
Distributed by Pathe Pictures Ltd
Release date
29 July 1946
Running time 83 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Box office £184,082 (UK)[1]
Quiet Weekend is a 1946 British comedy film directed by Harold French and starring
Derek Farr, Frank Cellier, Marjorie Fielding, George Thorpe and Barbara White. A
family try to relax during a weekend holiday in the country.[2] It was a sequel to
the 1941 film Quiet Wedding, with several of the actors reprising their roles. It
was based on the long running 1941 West End play Quiet Weekend and shot at Welwyn
Studios, Welwyn Garden City and Berkshire.[3][4][2]
Director Harold French called it "pleasant enough in its silly way".[5]
Plot
The Royds drive down to their spacious cottage in the country. Denys informs his
mother Mildred, the matriarch of the family, that he has invited Rowena Hyde. She
shows up in a chauffeur-driven car. Also making an appearance is patriarch Arthur
Royd's friend Adrian Barrasford. The pair go fishing. When Adrian reveals he is
very fond of Mary Jarrow, Arthur invites him to supper, as Mary will be there.
Miranda Bute, nearly eighteen years old, is another surprise guest. Mildred becomes
a bit concerned, as she knows that Miranda, her niece, is attached to Denys (though
he himself is oblivious), making for an awkward situation.
When Miranda discovers that Denys has turned down an attractive job offer because
there was "just no money in it", she is sure there is "something behind this". Then
she encounters Rowena, who informs her that Denys has accepted a well-paying job in
Hollywood as a private secretary, rather than pursuing a career as a scenic
designer. She eventually quarrels with Denys over his decision.
Adrian takes Arthur and Mildred's advice to make his intentions known, only to have
Mary misconstrue his proposal as an offer to sell her his house. He, on the other
hand, thinks she has turned down his offer of marriage.
Denys and Rowena go to a party of her upper-class friends. He becomes annoyed when
she chooses Paul Perry (Denys's future employer) instead of him as her partner in a
game.
Meanwhile, Arthur, Adrian and Sam sneak off to do some poaching; Miranda joins
them, and after much searching, they catch a large salmon. However, they are
spotted and chased by the authorities. Miranda flags down a passing car, which
turns out to be driven by Denys. He lies to a policeman to keep her out of trouble
and takes her home, where she changes down to her smalls and keeps herself warm in
Denys' dressing gown. Arthur and Adrian eventually show up, but Sam is caught and
taken into custody. Arthur has to get Adrian, in his official capacity as the local
justice of the peace, to allow him to bail out their fellow poacher.
The next morning, Miranda is delighted to learn that Denys has changed his mind and
declined the Hollywood job. It soon becomes apparent that he has also drastically
changed his view of Miranda as well. Adrian, emboldened by his experience the night
before, proposes to and is accepted by Mary. The Royds depart.
Cast
Derek Farr as Denys Royd
Frank Cellier as Adrian Barrasford
Marjorie Fielding as Mildred Royd
George Thorpe as Arthur Royd
Barbara White as Miranda Bute
Helen Shingler as Rowena Hyde
Edward Rigby as Sam Pecker
Josephine Wilson as Mary Jarrow
Gwynne Whitby as Marcia Brent
Ballard Berkeley as Jim Brent
Judith Furse as Ella Spender
Pat Field as Sally Spender
Hélène Burls as Bella
George Merritt as Police Sergeant
Christopher Steele as Vicar
Mary Martlew as Elena
Conway Palmer as Paul Perry
Richard George as Lorry Driver
Brian Weske as Johnnie
Critical reception
The Radio Times wrote, "as anyone familiar with Anthony Asquith's classic comedy of
manners Quiet Wedding will know, the title of this disappointing sequel is ironic
in the extreme. Although also based on an Esther McCracken play, the screenplay
lacks the crisp chaos of the original co-written by Terence Rattigan. Consequently,
the romantic tangles of Derek Farr and the poaching misadventures of George Thorpe
and magistrate Frank Cellier fail to deliver the laughs deserving of such whole-
hearted playing";[6] while TV Guide wrote, "another successful adaptation of a
popular Esther McCracken play...Funny and well performed".[7]
References
Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and
Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000
QUIET WEEK END (1946) Archived 6 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
"Reelstreets | Quiet Weekend". www.reelstreets.com. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
Wearing, J. P. (22 August 2014). The London Stage 1940-1949: A Calendar of
Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893061 –
via Google Books.
mcFarlane, Brian (1997). An autobiography of British cinema : as told by the
filmmakers and actors who made it. Metheun. p. 213.
David Parkinson. "Quiet Weekend". RadioTimes.
"Quiet Weekend". TV Guide.
