French Without Tears (film)
{{short description|1939 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = French Without Tears
| image = "French_Without_Tears"_(1940).jpg
| caption = Film poster
| director = Anthony Asquith
| producer = Mario Zampi
| writer = Ian Dalrymple
Anatole de Grunwald
Terence Rattigan
| starring = Ray Milland
| music = Nicholas Brodszky
Clive Richardson (uncredited)
| cinematography = Bernard Knowles
| editing = David Lean
| studio = Two Cities Films
| distributor = Paramount Pictures
| released = {{film date|df=yes|1939}}
| runtime = 86 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
}}
French Without Tears is a 1939 British comedy film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Ray Milland. It was based on the 1936 play of the same name by Terence Rattigan, who also co-wrote the script.
An on-off working relationship between Asquith and Rattigan began with this film and continued over the next 15 years.{{cite web|url=http://skymovies.sky.com/french-without-tears/review |title=French Without Tears - Sky Movies HD |publisher=Skymovies.sky.com |date=23 May 2002 |access-date=4 March 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/french-without-tears-v92345 |title=French Without Tears (1939) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast |publisher=AllMovie |access-date=4 March 2014}}
Plot
The love affairs are depicted of three young Englishmen at a language "cramming" school in the south of France. Diana, the sister of one of the boys, arrives in town to flirt with all of her brothers' schoolmates.{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6aaa468d |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713133659/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6aaa468d |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2012 |title=French without Tears | BFI | BFI |publisher=Explore.bfi.org.uk |access-date=4 March 2014}}
Cast
- Ray Milland as Alan Howard
- Ellen Drew as Diana Lake
- Janine Darcey as Jacqueline Maingot
- David Tree as Chris Neilan
- Roland Culver as Cmdr. Bill Rogers
- Guy Middleton as Brian Curtis
- Kenneth Morgan as Kenneth Lake
- Margaret Yarde as Marianne
- Toni Gable as Chi-Chi
- Jim Gérald as Professor Maingot
- Mantovani as Himself, Orchestra Leader
- Michael Duffield as Lieutenant Commander Rogers
Critical reception
Sky Movies described a "sparkling version of Terence Rattigan's comedy play. The import of Ellen Drew and Ray Milland from Hollywood ensured the film's success world-wide." Writing for Allmovie, Hal Erickson wrote, "much of the wit and zest of the original stage production has been blunted for the screen, moving one critic to describe French Without Tears as 'Comedy Without Laughs'. In all fairness, however, the film does boast a hilarious drunk scene in a musty old French wine cellar."
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0031341|title=French Without Tears}}
{{Anthony Asquith}}
{{Terence Rattigan}}
Category:British black-and-white films
Category:British films based on plays
Category:Films based on works by Terence Rattigan
Category:Films directed by Anthony Asquith
Category:Films with screenplays by Terence Rattigan
Category:Films with screenplays by Anatole de Grunwald
Category:Films with screenplays by Ian Dalrymple
Category:Two Cities Films films