English Without Tears

... though somewhat confusing. I would have been the first to attempt a synopsis for this movie but the plot to me was a bit oblique. Not only do we have a romance across "class distinction" lines with the backdrop of a slightly daffy female aristocrat trying to protect English migratory birds, but there is something to do with an interpreter played by the beautiful Lilli Palmer who neither looks nor sounds like a Brigid Knudsen. And our heroine, Joan, played by Penelope Ward, getting all mad at the criss-cross of relationships the meaning of which people scope out on the basis of one remark or juxtaposition. At least Joan gets a bit of come-uppance when a foreign political cartoonist sketches her toothy upper class face a bit too faithfully; that funny showcase is never revisited so it's almost like a red herring, but never mind. The political cartoonist is one of the menage of trois or quatre or cinq that gets Joan and others upset; the other major player is a Frenchman who I kept expecting to get with Lilli/Brigid, especially as she looked and sounded so much more French herself.

But the priceless person in this little exhibition, aside from Margaret Rutherford as our dotty aristocrat, is Michael Wilding, who went on to fame as Elizabeth Taylor's second husband. He apparently never rated himself as a good actor but he is very effective here, and very funny in spots. And not bad-looking. Transparently an attempt to cash in on the success of My Man Godfrey about a romance with one's butler from across the pond, for my money this one was even better, which does happen occasionally with rip-offs. Notwithstanding that that sort of thing might never have happened -- my stepfather insisted that British aristocracy would never look beyond their class so Pygmalion/My Fair Lady was completely fraudulent, too, in his view. But despite some of the stumbles, it can be forgiven on the basis of sprightliness and maybe any awkwardness adds to the comedy.

English without Tears, also called Her Man Gilbey, a reference to My Man Godfrey, which had come out in america, eight years prior. Gilbey (Michael Wilding) is butler to the Beauclerk family. So when the family travels to Geneva, he goes along. The fun, zany Margaret Rutherford is silly Lady Beauclerk, concerned with the rights of the birds that she watches. And refuses to eat. When she delivers her speech at Geneva, it is mis-understood, and causes quite a stir at the world conference. Where spies are swirling and listening, from every country. When a girl from a foreign country asks Gilbey out on a date, the neice Joan (Penelope Ward) gets jealous. But...Gilbey joins the miliary service. This was released in 1944, but it's not stated here when it was filmed. When Joan writes in her diary, we see it's the summer of 1939, so the war hadn't really hit the fan yet... many countries were still undecided what to do if war were to break out. There's no date at the start of the film, but i guess it doesn't matter when it was actually filmed. It's good. Has a sense of adventure and fun about it. In spite of the serious subject matter. Directed by Harold French. Co-stars Claude Dauphin; he was in some biggies: Barbarella, Quiet American. Some fun tidbits in Wilding's Bio section here on imdb... not only was he mister Liz Taylor in the 1950s, but sued Hedda Hopper for saying he had a liaison with Noel Coward early in his career. He and coward had worked on two films and a tv show together.

Primula Rollo who plays the 2nd AT went on to marry David Niven . In 1946 she died in a freak accident at Tyrone Power 's house aged 26 . She fell down cellar steps during a game of hide and seek . Broke Niven's heart .

English without Tears is a movie of surprising length, considering that its less than 90 minutes long. Perhaps it is so because the war was on in 1944 when it was released - but this is more a farce than comedy.

For such a short movie, there is a lot going on. There is the plot about the butler and one of the girls who professes her love for him. Then there is the plot about the English Instructor with whom the students cheat on their real instructor with. Then there is the farce element of mistaken manners, and confused situations.

There is even an S and M theme going on with how one of the characters treats another, and it serves as their own personal turn on.

Lillie Palmer is radiant and under used in this film. However the casting of frigid and rigid Penelope Dudley-Ward makes the heroine unsympathetic and engaging. Michael Wilding is wooden at ease and uncomfortable when he should be relaxed. It all simply doesn't work.

The most ironic line of all in the movie is "I do not understand jokes because I have no sense of humor" is said by a woman to her uniformed date at a dance, to which the gentleman retorts with "Then I will explain the joke to you".

Movies, like jokes aren't funny when they have to be explained either.

I first saw this a couple of years ago.I found it difficult to concentrate on it,it was that dull.On tv short time ago.I made another effort to watch it.Stayed the course but is still dreadfully dull.