Curtain Up
Encyclopedia
Curtain Up is a 1952
British film directed by Ralph Smart
, written by Jack Davies
and Philip King. It is based on the play Sunday for Seven Days by Philip King
.
company assemble at the theatre
on Monday morning to rehearse the following week's play, a melodrama
titled Tarnished Gold.
Harry, their irascible Director, is highly critical of the play, which has been foisted on him by the owners of the Company and is unenthusiastic about its prospects. The cast, a mixture of wanabee-film stars and has-beens, are equally unenthusiastic and little progress is made. Just as matters seemingly cannot get worse, the authoress of the play, Catherine Beckwith, appears and insists on 'sitting at the feet' of the Director.
She and Harry are quickly at each other throats and after Harry tears up most of Act 1, he storms angrily off stage and falls into the pit, injuring himself. Despite the forebodings of the cast, Miss Beckwith insists on taking over the rehearsal according to her own ideas.
A week later, to everyone's surprise, the curtain comes down on a triumphant first night.
Sub-plots involve on and off-stage romances between the cast, a film offer for one of the actresses, to her husband's chagrin, and the newest member of the cast realising that the stage is not her forte.
1952 in film
The year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
British film directed by Ralph Smart
Ralph Smart
Ralph Smart was a film and television producer, director, and writer, born in England to Australian parents in 1908. He found work in Britain with Anthony Asquith and later alongside the film director Michael Powell, whom he assisted with "Quota quickies": low-budget B-pictures to fill production...
, written by Jack Davies
Jack Davies
Jack Davies may refer to:*Jack Davies , English cricketer, rugby union player and psychologist*Jack Davies , English screenwriter, producer, editor and actor...
and Philip King. It is based on the play Sunday for Seven Days by Philip King
Philip King
Philip King may refer to:* Philip Gidley King , British colonial administrator* Philip King , American football player, coach, and lawyer* Philip Burke King , American geologist...
.
Plot
In an English provincial town, a second-rate repertoryRepertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
company assemble at the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
on Monday morning to rehearse the following week's play, a melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
titled Tarnished Gold.
Harry, their irascible Director, is highly critical of the play, which has been foisted on him by the owners of the Company and is unenthusiastic about its prospects. The cast, a mixture of wanabee-film stars and has-beens, are equally unenthusiastic and little progress is made. Just as matters seemingly cannot get worse, the authoress of the play, Catherine Beckwith, appears and insists on 'sitting at the feet' of the Director.
She and Harry are quickly at each other throats and after Harry tears up most of Act 1, he storms angrily off stage and falls into the pit, injuring himself. Despite the forebodings of the cast, Miss Beckwith insists on taking over the rehearsal according to her own ideas.
A week later, to everyone's surprise, the curtain comes down on a triumphant first night.
Sub-plots involve on and off-stage romances between the cast, a film offer for one of the actresses, to her husband's chagrin, and the newest member of the cast realising that the stage is not her forte.
Cast
- Robert MorleyRobert MorleyRobert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE was an English actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment...
, W.H. 'Harry' Derwent Blacker - Margaret RutherfordMargaret RutherfordDame Margaret Taylor Rutherford DBE was an English character actress, who first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest...
, Catherine Beckwith / Jeremy St. Claire - Kay KendallKay KendallKay Kendall was an English actress.Kendall began her film career in the 1946 musical London Town. Though the film was a financial failure, Kendall continued to work regularly until her appearance in the comedy Genevieve brought her widespread recognition...
, Sandra Beverley - Michael Medwin, Jerry Winterton
- Olive SloaneOlive SloaneOlive Sloane was an English actress whose film career spanned over 40 years from the silent era through to her death...
, Maud Baron - Liam Gaffney, Norwood Beverley
- Lloyd LambleLloyd LambleLloyd Nelson Lamble was an Australian actor who worked in theatre, television, radio and film. He lived and worked two-thirds of his life in the United Kingdom .- Personal life :...
, Jackson - Charlotte MitchellCharlotte MitchellCharlotte Mitchell is an English actress and poet.She was once the girlfriend of Peter Sellers, hence her occasional appearances on The Goon Show in the 1950s. Charlotte Mitchell was married to actor Philip Guard and is the mother of 3 children, actors Christopher Guard and Dominic Guard and...
, Daphne Ray - Charles LambCharles Lamb (actor)Charles Lamb was a British film and television actor.His longest role was as Mrs Dale's gardener, Monument, in the radio soap opera Mrs Dale's Diary.-Selected filmography:* Once a Crook...
, George - Constance Lorne, Sarah Stebbins
- Maggie Hanley, Mary (as Margaret Avery)
- Stringer DavisStringer DavisJames Buckley Stringer Davis, generally known as Stringer Davis , was an English character actor. He was married to actress Dame Margaret Rutherford.-Background and marriage:Davis was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England....
, Vicar - Joan HicksonJoan HicksonJoan Hickson OBE was an English actress of theatre, film and television, famed for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series Miss Marple.- Wivenhoe :...
, Harry's Landlady - John CazabonJohn CazabonJohn F Cazabon was an Australian actor born in Hertford, England.His parents were Albert Cazabon , a noted violinist and from 1927–36 musical director of Prince Edward Theatre orchestra and Mrs Albert Cazabon , a professional actor born in Australia, who became active again with Pickwick Theatre...
, Mr Stebbins - Diana Calderwood, Set Painter
- Joan RiceJoan RiceJoan Rice was a British film actress.Rice is best known for her role as Dalabo in the film His Majesty O'Keefe which co-started Burt Lancaster...
, Avis