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The Perfect Woman | |
---|---|
Directed by | Bernard Knowles |
Written by | George Black Bernard Knowles add. dialogue Basil Boothroyd |
Based on | play by Wallace Geoffrey Basil Mitchell |
Produced by | Alfred Black George Black |
Starring | Patricia Roc Stanley Holloway Nigel Patrick Miles Malleson |
Cinematography | Jack Hildyard |
Edited by | Peter Graham Scott |
Music by | Arthur Wilkinson |
Production company | |
Distributed by | General Film Distributors (UK) Eagle Lion (UK) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 87 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £100,000[1] |
The Perfect Woman is a 1949 British farce comedy film directed by Bernard Knowles and written by George Black, Jr and J. B. Boothroyd, based upon a play by Wallace Geoffrey and Basil Mitchell. The screenplay concerns a scientist who creates a robotic woman in his lab.
Ramshead, a butler, tells his lazy and currently broke master, Roger Cavendish, that he is broke. They search the newspaper for potential work.
Professor Ernest Belman has placed an advert in the Times seeking help. They phone and arrange to meet.
The professor has created a woman robot in his lab based on his niece, Penelope.
Cavendish appears for interview (with his butler). They are tasked with looking after his robot, Olga, for a week but are told they must never say the word "love" in front of it.
When Penelope's date cancels, the housekeeper Buttercup suggests she pretend to be the robot. Cavendish and Ramshead take her to a hotel and stay in the bridal suite, sparking many rumours amongst the staff. Cavendish's rich aunt arrives and thinks he has married. The robot is sent to help to explain things.
The original play debuted on 11 September 1948 and ran for 224 performances.[2]
Producers George and Alfred Black were sons of a famous producer.[3]
Roc made the film after spending several months in Paris, where she made Retour and The Man on the Eiffel Tower.[4] Roc was under contract to J. Arthur Rank at the time.[5] Filming took place in January 1949. The film was shot in 38 days at only three-quarters of its budgeted cost.[6] It was made at Denham Studios with sets designed by James Elder Wills.
Pamela Devis was cast as the robot because of her resemblance to Roc.[7]
Roc left the Rank organisation before the film was released. The film was released on a double bill, and given a West End screening.[8] However it proved popular and made a profit.[1]
Two Cities' executive producer Earl St John hoped to reunite Holloway, Patrick and Roc for a sequel, The Perfect Man.[9] However no film resulted.
The BBC broadcast a live adaptation of the Geoffrey and Mitchell play in the Sunday Night Theatre slot on 6 May 1956.