Upstairs and Downstairs

This is not by any means a very good film, but it is quite a good film. What almost ruined it for me was the class differences, and how basically the well-off couple played blandly by Michael Craig and Anne Heywood seem to think it is their 'due' to having servants to fulfill their basic needs. And of course the servants have to be either thieves, alcoholics or plain stupid. Downstairs quite literally is their home in every sense of the word. This fortunately was blown more or less out of the water in 1960 when the case for the prosecution depended on the premise of ' would you want your wife or servants to read this book? ' The book being the unexpurgated version of ' Lady Chatterley's Lover'. But in this film the D. H. Lawrence book even expurgated is nowhere in sight. The only time any sense of reality and a class threatening sexuality appears is when Mylene Demongeot enters the house, and sexual hypocrisy is totally thrown out of the window. All the well-off husbands with servants fall for her, take her out and then blame their wives for not understanding them. Demongeot is intelligent as well as being a fine actor, and gently demolishes them by reminding them of their double standards. It is only when Michael Craig has sex and maybe love on his mind as well that the film goes into some sort of genuine emotion and disquiet. No spoilers as what happens but all I can say is it holds up a harsh light on the morality, so called, of the time. After this French woman (although Demongeot is ridiculously supposed to be Swedish) takes over life is not quite the same, although to me a false ending calms England's murky sexual desires, and I did not believe in it. Claudia Cardinale delightfully plays the first sexual intruder and Demongeot continues where Cardinale left off, but Demongeot is more incisive. Daniel Massey and James Robertson Justice are also very good in their roles, but then there was an edge to their acting that the UK never properly explored.

Based on a 1957 novel by Ronald Scott Thorn, both that and this film relics - the film prettily shot in Eastmancolor - of that far off era before the Lady Chatterly trial when a pair of young newlyweds were expected to employ servants. With a 'hilarious' title song and Philip Green's score constantly nudging us in the ribs to remind us how sidesplitting their attempts to recruit staff are.

Mildly saucy shenanigans ensure with a young Claudia Cardinale playing a fiery Italian and Mylene Demongeot an unsophisticated rural Swede in a sou'wester (despite obviously - as my mother observed when I was watching this on TV many years ago - having "a little French face").

Meeting Miss Demongeot off her train at King's Cross we already encounter an unbilled Shirley Anne Field followed by Susan Hampshire; while Britain's contingent also includes Joan Sims is a Welsh nanny. Anne Heywood, meanwhile, is seen coiled naked around Michael Craig in bed within the first fifteen minutes (it's alright, it's their honeymoon)! Within ten years she would be engaged in more, ahem, solitary activity - still in the alltogether - standing in front of a bathroom mirror in 'The Fox'; by which time Barbara Steele - here playing a Sloane ranger - would be a fixture in exotic continental horror movies.

(Madge Ryan, who plays a frisky WPC, was later one of the team applying the Ludovico Technique in 'A Clockwork Orange'.)

And so they were married, Michael Craig and Anne Heywood. And they were very much in love. But as people have been complaining since Grok burned the aurochs, "You can't get good help anymore".

Ralph Thomas directs this rather sniffy look at the never-ending complaint of the long-suffering middle class from a novel by Ronald Scott Thorn. With his usual comic performer like James Robertson Justice, Sidney James, Joan Hickson, and Joan Sims, he skewers everyone from American clerics to owners of French poodles in a long series four adventures in domestic management; Miss Sims is particularly funny with little more than a long-suffering mien.

I just saw the movie and was captivated by that young french actress Mylene Demongeot. She played an attractive, yet confused girl.

With a number of the Carry on gang there I thought the movie would be an entire comedy. After the old couple who were hired as baby sitters, it turned into more of a drama, which was unexpected.

The wife's role was not really focused upon and it was really the husband trying to deal with his attraction to the new nanny, like all the rest of the male cast. You got the feeling if another time and another place, who she would have found in the end.

Mylene's character 'Ingrid' was the most interesting. THe way she drifted into the lives of the men around her and even the husbands. I think at the end she didn't know what she wanted and the solution was to end the adventure.

Very entertaining and interesting the way the plot developed to the surprise finish.

By the late 1950's British cinema was producing some colourful, sophisticated entertainment and this charming offering is amongst the best of them. The first thing that comes to mind for me is, what a cast ! Michael Craig has always been a favourite of mine and in this film, he has a change of pace in a comedy, delivering a smooth and pleasing performance as well as looking especially handsome.

Anne Heywood is equally well cast and looks ravishingly beautiful, complementing Michael perfectly. The supporting cast make up a real who's who of stalwart British actors with Joan Hickson and Joan Sims proving the real stand-outs. James Robertson Justice is a real delight too and plays true to form. The episodic mood of the film takes a subtle turn with the entry of Mylene Demongeot as the Swedish maid and nanny, looking pretty and slightly provocative. Although new to films, she does well, especially in the poignant moments. I'm surprised this gem is not more fondly remembered ; it certainly takes pride of place amongst my large British collection.