Laughter in Paradise

Laughter in Paradise is a British comedy film released in 1951. The film stars Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton. The film was remade in 1970 as Some Will, Some Won't.

Plot

When wealthy, well-known practical joker Henry Russell (Hugh Griffith) dies, four relatives find out that they stand to inherit considerable sums ... provided they commit acts that are completely contrary to their natures. Law-abiding Deniston Russell (Alastair Sim) has to get himself arrested and jailed for 28 days. Difficult, snobbish Agnes Russell (Fay Compton) has to find work as a maid and keep her job for a month. Simon Russell (Guy Middleton) is a womanizing cad; his task is to marry the first single woman he speaks to. Timid Herbert Russell (George Cole) is assigned to hold up the bank where he works with a toy pistol.

Deniston is thwarted repeatedly in his attempts, but finally manages to complete his task. It costs him his fiancée Elizabeth Robson (Joyce Grenfell) when he is brought up before the judge, Elizabeth's father, but is surprised to discover it is a cost he is quite willing to pay.

Agnes ends up working for irascible Gordon Webb (John Laurie). When he fires her, she offers him a large sum to keep her on. He hires private detective Rodger Godfrey (Anthony Steel) to find out what she is up to, while taking advantage of the odd situation by making her life even more difficult than before. Roger falls in love with Gordon's long-suffering daughter Joan (Veronica Hurst), but she is unwilling to marry him as her father depends on her. After Agnes persuades her to change her mind, Gordon fires her.

When Herbert finally gathers the nerve to go through with his assignment, he inadvertently foils an actual robbery and becomes a hero.

Simon finds that he has married a woman as unscrupulous as himself. The last laugh is on her though, for when the executor gathers the four heirs together, he informs them that there is no money; it was Henry's last practical joke. Agnes, Deniston and Herbert burst into laughter. Simon is annoyed at first, until he happens to look outside at his conniving wife, waiting with a bottle of champagne. Then he too joins in the merriment.

Cast

Guy Middleton and Audrey Hepburn

• Alastair Sim as Deniston Russell
• Fay Compton as Agnes Russell
• Guy Middleton as Simon Russell
• George Cole as Herbert Russell
• Hugh Griffith as Henry Russell
• Ernest Thesiger as Endicott
• Beatrice Campbell as Lucille Grayson, the woman Simon marries
• Mackenzie Ward as Benson, Simon's butler
• Joyce Grenfell as Elizabeth Robson, Deniston's fiancée
• A. E. Matthews as Sir Charles Robson, Elizabeth's father
• John Laurie as Gordon Webb
• Veronica Hurst as Joan Webb, Gordon's daughter
• Eleanor Summerfield as Sheila Wilcott, Deniston's secretary
• Anthony Steel as Roger Godfrey, the private detective
• Charlotte Mitchell as Ethel, Agnes' maid
• Leslie Dwyer as Police station sergeant
• Colin Gordon as Police station constable
• Ronald Adam as Wagstaffe, the bank manager
• Michael Pertwee as Stewart
• Mary Germaine as Susan Heath
• Audrey Hepburn as Frieda, a cigarette girl. This was Hepburn's first professional appearance on film (save for a brief role in a 1948 Dutch film entitled Dutch in Seven Lessons). The filming of the scene in which Hepburn appears (somewhat against her later "type") was later recreated in the 2000 biopic The Audrey Hepburn Story starring Jennifer Love Hewitt.
• Noel Howlett as Clerk of the Court
• Martin Boddey as Store detective
• Arthur Howard as passenger in train with Herbert (uncredited)

Reception

The film was the fourth most popular movie at the British box office in 1951.^[2]

References

External links

• Laughter in Paradise at the Internet Movie Database
• screenonline review (including more complete plot synopsis)