User reviews

I first saw the film 'Genevieve' around 1969 - 1970 at home in glorious Black and white on black and white TV. Since then it has always stood out in my mind as one of the more memorable and enjoyable films from the 50's and 60's so common on TV at that time.

It's gentle comedy and heartening scenes of the English countryside along with the outstanding and unforgettable harmonic tones of Larry Adler's uplifting score make for such a rich and pleasing cinematic experience.

I have probably now seen the film more than five times and more recently in full colour, which makes it even more pleasing to the eye and enables one to see not only the main star 'Genevieve' but all the other incidental passing vehicles of the late forties and early fifties in their full livery and colour. Many of these vehicles would today be collectors items in their own right.

It would not be putting it too strongly to say that the film 'Genenieve' is a toy vehicle appreciators and collectors delight, as well as an inspiration for restorers of full size veteran vehicles.

Alan Wainwright

Beyond the marvelous cars, the jokes and banter between the couples and the quirky soundtrack, it's the moment of genuine and somewhat surprising kindness of the lead actor in the story which really sets this gentle comedy apart. Without Allan's reaction to the old gentleman who admires his car, the movie would otherwise be a one note comedy with jokes and rather nice scenery. The poignancy of the gesture however, allows Allan to quietly and magnificently overcome his obsessiveness, which though amusing at times is also wearing. This, along with the beauty of the English countryside, a component as important as the characters themselves, makes this movie an absolute charmer. The final shot replete with damp mist and fog added the ultimate British ambiance to its delightful conclusion.

Most people in the United Kingdom would probably know second leads Kenneth More and Kay Kendall today than they would John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan. But all four pitch in and make Genevieve as delightful and refreshing a comedy today as it was in 1953 when it came out.

The married Gregson and free spirit More are best of friends with a shared interest in antique cars. But every year that friendship goes under an extreme strain when there's an antique car rally and people with those old vehicles. Sheridan who is married to Gregson surrenders a bit unwillingly every year to the obsession that overtakes her husband.

If this film had been made in America, Jack Carson would have been perfect casting for More's role. He's an amiable blowhard with a different woman every few months and this month's flavor is Kay Kendall.

The rally is not a race it's just a bunch of folks who own these cars and drive them en masse from London to Brighton and back. But Gregson and More make it a race between themselves and there's a bet on as well. In America we would say racing for pink slips and in Gregson's case what's at stake is his beloved vehicle Genevieve.

The trip with both of them and what happens to these antique cars has loads of laughs in it. That's ratcheted up exponentially during the climax as both cars are just returning to London and shall we say showing their age.

Kay Kendall's best moment is at a nightclub where she's totally blotto and wants to play the trumpet. I'm sure it was dubbed, but sure enough a swinging version of the old ballad Genevieve is blown by Kendall. She's her usual marvelous self.

It's over 60 years since Genevieve came out. I wonder if that rally is still held and what is considered an antique now. This film certainly isn't.

What a wonderful film this is, it takes you back to an England that is no more.The four leading stars compliment each other, with the beautiful Kay Kendall leading the way and Kenneth More having to put up with her dog as well. The great harmonica score enhances the film and sets the mood(reminds me of last of the summer wine music). I have lost count of the number of times i have seen this film but it is as enjoyable now as it was the first time i saw it. The plot is simple just two mates having a wager to see who will be the first to arrive in Brighton while taking part in the veteran car rally and their poor female partners having to suffer all the way. Pure enjoyment from start to finish. I know it is an old saying but it is true in this case....... they couldn't make them like this anymore.

I was a bit surprised that such a high percentage of ratings were 10 for this movie. While it's pretty good, there are so many other British films of the era that are simply better--and a lot more entertaining. Now this isn't to say I didn't like the film. On the contrary, I thought it was very good,...but certainly not great and a pretty skipable film when you think of all the better films from Ealing Studios (such as PASSPORT TO PIMLICO or the films of Alec Guinness).

The story is a very slight film about two slightly nutty old car enthusiasts and the women that reluctantly love them. Both guys LOVE their antique cars (circa 1904 and 1906) but the antiques are a pain in the neck, as they seem to break down all the time and are very slow. Despite this, the two guys decide to race from Brighton to London and a lot of problems naturally develop. Some of these problems are pretty cute, but the best aspect of this film were the interactions between the characters and the excellent dialog.

Also, and I know this may seem odd, but I really loved the color film used to make this movie. It is not exactly realistic but is so rich and pretty to look at that I found myself remarking repeatedly ho much I liked the color.

I wish they made more movies like this one! A light hearted comedy about an antique car rally and the competitive relationship between two friends. A recipe for a wonderful film that I could not recommend enough. The previous comments say it all! I only wish one of our vintage film channels would show it.

An Ealing Studio comedy in 1953, about a annual vintage car rally from London to Brighton and back in two days on a sunny weekend, which is the most exciting activity for lawyer Alan(Gregson) and his best friend Ambrose (More), but for ladies, Alan's wife Wendy (Sheridan) and Ambrose's new date Rosalind (Kendall), they are less psyched, a gesture of support means they cannot renege their full participation.

Genevieve, a 1904 Darracq, is Alan's beloved treasure, doesn't function too well en route, slapstick antics and lively squabbles are befitting companies between him and the apathetic Wendy, while Ambrose's harmless teasing of Genevieve (driving his equally unstable 1905 Spyker with the grand Rosalind) comes as handy and formulaic. During their short stay in Brighton, Alan and Wendy scrape in a crummy hotel room (Joyce Grenfell is the high point as the proprietress in a cameo appearance), and there is long-lasting jealousy simmering in Alan's heart, since it is Ambrose, who introduced Wendy to him, he is quite sulky to see Wendy intimately dances with Ambrose, and is intrigued by Rosalind to know what exactly had happened between them before their 3-years-old marriage, especially once Wendy was Ambrose's date in the annual rally. As expected, the topic turns sour quickly, on their way back to London, Alan and Ambrose have a wager on 100 pounds to be the first to reach Westminster Bridge.

So the second half is a comical contest, the two teams encounter malfunctions of the cars, patrol officers, road accidents, uninvited interlopers, even skulduggery and a strategic lie to buy their time. At the same time, the hiccup is soft-pedaled among the jovial hullabaloo, we never have another chance to know the history between Wendy and Ambrose. But in the very end, if a man is willing to give up his most treasured thing for a woman, she is the real winner.

The quartet performers are sterling and enjoyable, John Gregson brings about a touch of suaveness which reminiscent of James Stewart and Sheridan is a dexterous player exemplifies what a perfect wife should be, they are the immaculate pair on screen; More is outstanding in his carefree mannerism while Kendall neatly nails the face-contorting trumpet mimicking and it is not an easy piece of cake for trophy girlfriends.

GENEVIEVE is a light-hearted laughter-generator full of beans, its relatable skits encapsulate Britain's national spirit and character with intuitive zest, at least for its native audience, it is the all-time guilty pleasure.

A chirpy British comedy following the fortunes of two overly-competitive friends who enter vintage cars in the famous London to Brighton rally. John Gregson stars as the dour lawyer Alan who, baited by his larger than life friend (Kenneth More), accepts a bet on who will return to London first.

Dinah Sheridan and Fay Kendal provide glamorous and dependable support, with Kendal sparkling as an upper class fashion model with an unexpected capacity for trumpet playing and heavy drinking. Much of the film is typical race and chase stuff, but avoids the usual potholes of over-engineered stunts and tricks. The characters are far more interesting than that!

A brilliant harmonica soundtrack by Larry Adler keeps the tempo and spirits high and the full colour production provides a ready backdrop of 1950's town and country scenes. Escapist entertainment from a period when British cinema boomed.

Very much in the spirit of the "Ealing Comedies", this is a simple and engaging story of two chaps - "Alan" (John Gregson) and "Ambrose" (Kenneth More) who bet each other the princely sum (in 1953) of £100 on which of their vintage cars can race the 50-odd miles from London to Brighton quickest. Dragging their reluctant partners "Wendy" (Dinah Sheridan) and "Rosalind" (Kay Kendall) along too, we embark of a fun series of escapades as they test the limits of their friendship, the patience of the police (a nice effort from Geoffrey Keen) and their respective engineering. The photography is colourful and the cars almost as temperamental as their increasingly competitive drivers. Kendall is probably the star for me - pushing a car from an huge puddle was definitely not what she signed up for; and the ending is quite literally neck-and-neck. There is plenty of light-hearted humour to be had, and Larry Adler has composed a suitably jolly score to accompany their automotive antics. All good fun!

I grew up with this enchanting film as it was one of my father's favourites - I can see why...

One of the enduring, and charming features of "Genevieve" is its love affair with the characters (the cars included). The relationships between all the principals are tested repeatedly throughout the film, but never in a threatening manner - typical of the British reserve.

Stand-out moments have to include Rosalind's trumpet solo in the club ("I'll show them how to tray the plumpet!"), the wonderful cameo by Joyce Grenfell as the hotel receptionist, Ambrose's raucous 'Woody Woodpecker'-style laugh and the heart-warming finale seeing Genevieve rolling off under her own magical steam towards the end.

The score by harmonica supremo Larry Adler does wonders to enhance the sentiment in the film, with the jostling waltz theme and the lyrical ballad interludes. The use of the countryside is great too, and here the colour film is saturated perfectly - although, I have seen it in black and white as well, so it is not essential colour-viewing.

The race back to London is memorable for the many pranks and down-right rude goings-on between the two men and their long-suffering partners. This is superb film comedy, and its gentle tone is suitable for all members of the family - the ridiculous size of Suzie the St. Bernard, the 'flask' incident (filmed by the BBC, of course) and the ringing of the clock tower bell are all wonderful highlights.

No wonder my Dad liked it so much... :o)

A British comedy; A story about two young couples who participate in the Vintage Car Rally, a yearly race from London to Brighton, who race competitively, trying every trick in the book of gamesmanship. This charming British road movie is a delightful confection, which has a fresh feel, bristling sexual tension, and is accompanied by a wonderful Oscar-nominated score by harmonica player Larry Adler, and complete with some great sound design. The story begins slowly, and a bit too pedestrian on the road down, but it picks up after the first act with some good humour and a splendid routine with the vivacious Kay Kendal on trumpet, who elsewhere is very good at looking windswept and aghast at the inconvenience of the eccentric journey. There is great support from Joyce Grenfell as a wry hotel proprietress and Arthur Wontner as an elderly car fancier.

This film is, in fact, not a comedy at all, but rather one of those light entertainment films which is classified as a comedy simply because it's not a drama. It's basically a road movie, since the vast majority of the film takes place during a classic car drive to and from Brighton in England. Two somewhat friendly rivals participating in the annual event, one of whom drives a car called Genevieve, decide to race each other there, taking their reluctant wives with them. Most of the purported humour in this film consists of each car taking turns to break down. As one car breaks down, the owner of the other car drives past and gloats, only to have his car break down soon after and the other car start up again. This happens many times during the race to Brighton, with the lead changing each time.

The highlight of the film is the night the couples spend in Brighton - more specifically, the mildly entertaining musical item performed by one of the wives, who turns out to be quite an accomplished trumpeter. During the stay, there is some suggestion that one of the wives has had an affair, but the characters are so entirely dull and the rest of the film is so shallow and plotless that this sub-plot fails to offer any redemption. After the night in Brighton, the couples simply race home again, making the second half of the film just as unfunny and boring as the first half.

I try to avoid vitriol in my reviews, but in this case I must make an exception for the sake of an accurate summation. This is one of the most appallingly unfunny, unendurable, pointless, excruciating pieces of cinema I have ever had to sit through. Every attempt at humour goes down like a lead balloon, there is hardly a story to speak of and all of the characters are cardboard cutouts. Clearly we are supposed to be on the side of the couple riding in Genevieve, and yet both of the couples are so intolerably immature and unlikable that it's impossible to care at all about who wins the race. If you like intelligent films, then avoid this at all costs. If you like mindless fluff, then there are still a hundred other pieces of mindless fluff you'd be better off watching than this rubbish. I tried to like this film, especially given all the positive reviews on this site, but save for the nice cars, I found nothing whatsoever to like about it.

This really couldn't feel more British and of its time, but it really is quite delightful. Alan (John Gregson) is a barrister. He's also a petrolhead. Genevieve is his old crank handle red vintage Darracq car. His neighbour and friend, Ambrose (Kenneth More) favours a fancy yellow Spyker. Ambrose is out to impress his new girl, Rosalind (Kay Kendall) and has invited her to spend the weekend driving in a commemorative event of classic cars from London to Brighton. Having endured previous events, Alan's wife Wendy (Dinah Sheridan) would prefer to go to her friend's cocktail party this year, but this event means a lot to Alan, keeping the car previously owned by his father in the running. There's a quaint comedic nature to it all. Light entertainment. Alan and Wendy are lovely. So is Rosalind in her way, with her large dog Suzy, who comes along for the ride. Ambrose though is a bit pompous, laughing at Alan's misfortune breaking down, he brings out the worst in Alan, which often leaves Wendy suffering the most. The competition between the leads is what drives this, but it's the women in their lives that really make it tick. Wendy in particular is both the glue for the narrative and the fuel that pushes it on. As things heat up. Words are said. Bets are made and the race is on to get back to London first, with the pair getting all the more desperate and devious, right to the nail-biting climax. It's charming, entertaining, funny and exciting. Every bit the classic.

One of my favorites of all time. A fresh, whimsical, gentle and wonderful comedy. Every time I think of it I smile and long to be in a roadster in England of the early 50's. Contains one of the greatest - if not the greatest - transition scenes in all movies. Watch for it near the beginning, when suddenly you hear a voice over saying "not that long ago what you are about to see would be illegal." Absolutely brilliant.

Cute little film about two best friends who have old cars who race each other every year. They take their girls with them but the girls really aren't into it like the men are. The girls complain they don't want to go but the men want their girls with them. The couples fight before the race & during the race because the girls don't enjoy it & don't want to be there. They always make up but it gets a bit annoying. The best friends make a bet of $100 to whomever crosses the finish line first. This causes the men to play tricks on each other & cheat. One steals a part off of the other ones car. One guy calls the police & reports the other guys car as stolen. On & on it goes. The two guys argue about who's car is better to the point they get really angry but eventually they always make up (usually at the girls insistence). They call off the bet & everything is fine again until one of them ends up saying something about having a better car & they're back to arguing & putting the bet back. This goes on & on, arguing, making up, calling off the bet, on again off again the whole race driving the girls crazy. It's kinda funny with the quirky old cars in the race.

Genevieve may be a little too short, but for me it is one of the best British films of the 50s. It is just a charming, delightful and re-watchable little film. The film looks beautiful, the photography is lovely and the scenery and colours are just as pleasing to the eye. The script has its fair share of funny, poignant and charming spots, the direction is spot on and the story is always engaging with the misfortunes and calamities never less than entertaining. The soundtrack by the harmonica maestro Larry Sadler is unforgettable, and the film is blessed with wonderful performances. I loved John Gregson, Kenneth More and Dinah Sheridan, but it was Kay Kendall who was the real joy. All in all, just a delight from start to finish. 9/10 Bethany Cox

A bright and breezy British comedy filmed in glowing colour. "The Great Race" it isn't, as John Gregson and Kenneth More set out on the annual Brighton to London vintage car run, but a little bit of personal enmity between them, arising over More's past relationship with Gregson's wife of three years Dinah Sheridan, sees them privately wager £100 on who can get their old banger back to London first. This despite the fact that man-about-town More has a new girl in tow, glamorous American Kay Kendall. From there on it's a case of those way-out Wacky Races as both of them stoop to conquer, fair play thrown out the window in the quest for success.

I enjoyed the location shooting, vintage fashions and vintage cars, including those from 1953, never mind old jalopies Genevieve and More's Spyker and while Gregson and More are very much upper class toffs out on a jolly (one wonders for example how much the £100 they casually bet then would equate to now?), there's some ribald and even risqué humour as when Sheridan has to have her husband stop the car so she can answer a call of nature or when Kendall reveals to Sheridan that More's only two interests in life are cars and "the other" where it takes a second or two for the penny to drop as to what she's referring.

Otherwise there are plenty of high jinks on the low road all set to a jaunty harmonica-based soundtrack by Larry Adler, taking in encounters with a female shepherd and her flock, a jazz band where little girl Kay gets to blow her horn, an expectant father, two irritable policemen and Joyce Grenfell in another enjoyable cameo as the proprietress of the cheap-as-chips seaside hotel at which Gregson and Sheridan end up.

I have to say in conclusion that I enjoyed tagging along with my four co-passengers for this amiable 90 minute journey down the road apiece. Yes, the characters might have benefitted from being a bit less posh, the triangle with Sheridan, Gregson and More seemed somewhat forced and the situations a little picaresque at times but all in all this was a fun road trip to be part of.

This is a most wonderful film. I admit to having a bias towards this film because my mother played the shepherd girl. The four main characters play wonderfully against each-other with a brother-like rivalry between John Gregson and Kenneth More. It really is great fun to see the cars race - we're not talking great speed here - these are vintage cars, you know! They don't make them like this any more.

This is one of those films I can just watch time and time again, as indeed we did this evening. It must be 25 years since I first saw Genevieve as an kid; I daren't guess how many times I've seen it since. But every time it still works its magic.

It's a comedy, but a gentle one - there's a few real belly laughs to be had, but mostly I'm left with a beatific smile of pure pleasure throughout. The one exception is the scene where dear old Arthur Wontner stops the McKims to admire Genevieve at a crucial point in proceedings; that scene has me welling up with tears every time.

The script from William Rose is perfectly judged and paced, and there's enough detail in there to reward multiple viewings. It's quite risqué for 1953, but done in a splendidly subtle way that can only be described as a forgotten art. And as usual, I shall be whistling Larry Adler's magnificent score for days after viewing.

I laughed, I cried, I loved the old cars. What more could you ask from a movie? Quite possibly the closest thing to perfection you're likely to see in a movie - and it didn't need special CGI effects and a cast of thousands, just four extremely talented actors, a few old cars and the glorious post-war English countryside.

11 out of 10. No, 12! 13!

A pair of hooray henries and their cold wives, who take part in the London to Brighton veteran car rally, decide to race it back to London.

Another commentator is right on the button when he says that we the audience do not care who wins because both antagonists are childish. That is exactly the way I felt. Many of these British comedies of the forties and fifties are remembered with fondness. By whom? This is just another example of an idyllic home-counties England run by an elite who can afford to indulge in puerile sports like racing veteran cars. We see it in other films, where things like traction engines are raced.

If you are a fan of Larry Adler, you will enjoy the soundtrack, but if you have an IQ higher than your shoe size then I don't think you'll miss this film.

Alan & Wendy McKim, Ambrose Claverhouse & Rosalind Peters are two classic car enthusiast couples taking part in the annual London to Brighton car rally. For the return trip the gentlemen enter into a friendly wager to see who can reach Westminster Bridge first, but what started out as friendly rivalry turns into a very intense contest indeed.

I think what stands out the most in Genevieve {Genevieve being the name of the McKim's car} is the wonderful screenplay from William Rose. Full of British sensibilities and sexual tension, Genevieve ranks as one of the best British films from the 50s. Both couples seem poles apart but the men are bound by a machismo sensibility, whilst the women are both astutely charming in loyalty with a bullish awareness of the situation. John Gregson, Dinah Sheridan, Kenneth More and Kay Kendall are all excellent in the lead roles, the colour booms out from the screen, and Larry Adler's harmonica backed score is a perfect musical delight.

Charming, breezy, and a British comedy classic, Genevieve really is a spiffing film for any day of the week. 9/10

Such a classic in film history. Genevieve is a 1908 Darrack(car), the McKims are on there annaul Car Rally from London to Brighton, only this time on the way back to London, its a race against ex-friend Ambrose Claverhouse. Classic incidents in which form a race where anything goes will be firmly in your mind for ever. Dinah Sheridan plays an excellent Wendy who thinks its absolutely absurd bouncing around in these old cars. Kay Kendal plays the trumpet playing model Rosilind Peters who also thinks that its all getting rather silly, she has also bought her dog along for the ride. Kenneth More plays the sarcastic and terrible flirt Abrose who is determined to win. John Gregson plays the moody, long suffering and jealous Alan who also wants to win the race. I promise that this will have you in tears of laughter, a splendid film of a brilliant era of English film making, no film of this type has even come close. This is my favorite film, 5 out of 5.

I saw this movie when it first was made.

Then I saw it several times later.

It is comedy in the true, old-fashion style. One does not see this kind of movie anymore.

Over the years I have tried to find a copy of "Genevieve" and have been unsuccessful.

If anyone out there can help me locate a copy, either VCR or DVD, I would appreciate it very much.

So much of what I see today should take a lesson from this happy, funny little movie.

Thanks for any help you can give me.