His Excellency (1952 film)
His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry. It follows a blunt Yorkshireman and former trade union leader, who is sent to take over as Governor of a British-ruled island in the Mediterranean.[1] It was based on a play by Dorothy Christie and Campbell Christie.
His Excellency | |
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Directed by | Robert Hamer |
Produced by | Michael Truman |
Written by | Robert Hamer (screenplay) W. P. Lipscomb (script contribution) Adrian Alington (novel) (uncredited) |
Based on | a play by Dorothy Christie & Campbell Christie |
Starring | Eric Portman Cecil Parker Helen Cherry |
Music by | Ernest Irving |
Cinematography | Douglas Slocombe |
Edited by | Seth Holt |
Distributed by | Ealing Studios |
Release date | January 1952 (UK) |
Running time | 82 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
The play was also filmed for Australian television in 1958.
Cast
- Eric Portman as George Harrison
- Cecil Parker as Sir James Kirkman
- Helen Cherry as Lady Kirkman
- Susan Stephen as Peggy Harrison
- Edward Chapman as the Admiral
- Clive Morton as General Officer Commanding
- Alec Mango as Jackie
- Geoffrey Keen as Morellos
- John Salew as Fernando
- Robin Bailey as Charles
- Eric Pohlmann as Dobrieda
- Paul Demel as Chef
- Elspeth March as Mrs Fernando
- Howard Marion-Crawford as Tea shop proprietor
- Henry B. Longhurst as Lord Kynaston
Critical reception
Britmovie quoted George Perry from his book Forever Ealing, "His Excellency retains a stagebound atmosphere. Its other great fault lies in the way it wastes the theme’s potential in a glib and artificial treatment. At times the film is like an Ealing comedy that got away, with familiar stereotypes such as the ladies who form the clientele of the ‘Old Tea Shoppe’, and the governor's staff. The governor himself tends towards caricature, retaining a shirt sleeves and braces attitude akin to a trade-union rabble rouser long after he should have made a transition to the respectability demanded by his appointment... Robert Hamer returned to Ealing specially to make this film, but compared with the promise of his earlier work it is disappointing and marks the beginning of his decline." [2]
References
- BFI.org
- "His Excellency 1952 - Britmovie - Home of British Films". Archived from the original on 2015-09-26. Retrieved 2016-08-11.