The Demi-Paradise (1943)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writer:

Anatole de Grunwald (writer)

Release Date:

20 December 1943 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | War

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Culture Clash | Fish Out Of Water | Inventor | Life Choices

Cast

Laurence Olivier	...	Ivan Kouznetsoff
Penelope Dudley-Ward	...	Ann (as Penelope Ward)
Marjorie Fielding	...	Mrs. Tisdall
Margaret Rutherford	...	Rowena Ventnor
Felix Aylmer	...	Mr. Runalow
George Thorpe	...	Herbert Tisdall
Leslie Henson	...	Himself
Guy Middleton	...	Dick Christian
Michael Shepley	...	Mr. Walford
Edie Martin	...	Miss Winifred Tisdall
Muriel Aked	...	Mrs. Tisdall-Stanton
Joyce Grenfell	...	Sybil Paulson
Everley Gregg	...	Mrs. Flannel
Jack Watling	...	Tom
David Keir	...	Jordan

Also Known As:

Adventure for Two (USA)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

First feature of Gladys Henson.

Britain and Russia before the cold war

Almost two hours long, D.P.starts out in Russia, with some British travelers meeting with a Russian; we quickly flash back to when one of the Russians had traveled to London on business. Laurence Olivier is Ivan Kouznetskoff, who recounts his experience in Britain many years ago, both pleasant and unpleasant. British "Ann" ( Penelope Dudley ) is his new love interest, and that is an on again/off again relationship. Viewers will recognize Margaret Rutherford (plays Rowena Ventnor) - Rutherford played Agatha Christie's Jane Marple during the 1960s. Olivier's accent is iffy, but they DO capture the proud complaining that is prevalent in some Russians (as well as some Americans, some Britains...) Of course, the story takes place deep in the middle of world war II now, and also about the time of the Haye's movie production period back in the U.S., so I'm guessing some parts of the original story were left out of the film. Writer Anatole de Grunwald had actually fled Russia as a young boy with his family during the Russian Revolution, so its interesting that his main character would extol the virtues of the common worker society. Entertaining two hours, but Ivan is so cold throughout, that we don't get too drawn into the story. The second half is more about their relationship, and less about comparing Great Britain to Russia, and what a snob Ivan is.