Evergreen (1934)

Harriet Green, a beloved and radiant music hall star of the Edwardian era, has a guilty secret: She has a baby daughter, born out of wedlock. Harriet leaves her public and flees to South ... See full summary »

Director:

Victor Saville

Writers:

Benn W. Levy (based on the stage play by), Emlyn Williams (adaptation),

Stars:

Jessie Matthews, Sonnie Hale, Betty Balfour

Cast

Credited cast:
Jessie Matthews	...	Harriet Green
Sonnie Hale	...	Leslie Benn
Betty Balfour	...	Maudie
Barry MacKay	...	Tommy Thompson (as Barry Mackay)
Ivor McLaren	...	Marquis of Staines (as Ivor Maclaren)
Hartley Power	...	George Treadwell
Patrick Ludlow	...	Lord Shropshire
Betty Shale	...	Mrs. Hawkes
Marjorie Brooks	...	Marjorie Moore
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buddy Bradley	...	Dancer
Charles Mortimer	...	Butler

Storyline

Harriet Green, a beloved and radiant music hall star of the Edwardian era, has a guilty secret: She has a baby daughter, born out of wedlock. Harriet leaves her public and flees to South Africa to raise her daughter quietly. The years pass, and now her daughter, Harriet Hawkes, returns to London as a young show-biz hopeful. Tommy, a wily publicity man, knowing that young Harriet is a dead ringer for her famous mother, convinces a theater producer to star her in a new revue as none other than the original Harriet Green, miraculously untouched by old age. The ruse works too well: Now the public believes Harriet is a well-preserved 60-year-old and Tommy is her son. The deception is more than merely inconvenient, because now Harriet and Tommy have secretly fallen in love.

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Plot Keywords:

theater | publicity | confession | banquet | impersonation | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sempre Viva

Filming Locations:

Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation, Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (British Acoustic Wide Range System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adapted from the stage play 'Ever Green', also starring Jessie Matthews.

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Goofs

The onscreen source of the movie is listed as "Evergreen", but it actually was called "Ever Green".

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Connections

Featured in Great Performances: The Rodgers & Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty (1999)

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Soundtracks

"In the Cool of the Evening"
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

User Reviews

Dancing on the Ceiling with Jessie Matthews

"Yesterday," to avoid scandal involving her illegitimate baby girl, music hall performer Jessie Matthews (as Harriet Green) retires from the stage. "To-Day" her adult daughter, Ms. Matthews (as Harriet Hawkes), is back in London, auditioning as a chorus girl. She meets young show business hopeful Barry Mackay (as Tommy Thompson), who promotes Ms. Matthews as the return of her eternally youthful mother. The British public is delighted with the comeback, but 60-year-old "mother" Matthews falls in love with "son" Mackay and their ruse is threatened by paramours from Mathews' past. Helping out are real-life husband Sonnie Hale (as Leslie Benn), veteran British favorite Betty Balfour (as Maudie), and director Victor Saville.

****** Evergreen (4/34) Victor Saville ~ Jessie Matthews, Barry Mackay, Sonnie Hale, Betty Balfour