Two Thousand Women (1944)

Director:

Frank Launder

Writers:

Michael Pertwee (additional dialogue), Frank Launder,

Stars:

Phyllis Calvert, Flora Robson, Patricia Roc

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phyllis Calvert	...	Freda Thompson
Flora Robson	...	Miss Manningford
Patricia Roc	...	Rosemary Brown
Renee Houston	...	Maud Wright
Reginald Purdell	...	Alec Harvey
Anne Crawford	...	Margaret Long
Jean Kent	...	Bridie Johnson
James McKechnie	...	Jimmy Moore
Robert Arden	...	Dave Kennedy (as Rob Arden)
Carl Jaffe	...	Sergt. Hentzner
Muriel Aked	...	Miss Meredith
Kathleen Boutall	...	Mrs. Hadfield
Hilda Campbell-Russell	...	Mrs. Hope Latimer
Christiana Forbes	...	Frau Holweg
Thora Hird	...	Mrs. Burtshaw

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

female prisoner | women's prison | world war two | number in title

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

House of 1,000 Women

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Islington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gainsborough Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

B.A.F. Sound System

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First film of Robert Arden.

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Soundtracks

"Too Many Women"
(uncredited)
Written by Ray Noble and Max Kester

User Reviews

Annoying women

The setting is a women's internment camp which resembles a very large, posh country house with several halls, plenty of space and some luxury rooms. Three RAF pilots find their way into the camp and the women must hide them before these 3 heroic chaps can make their escape. Will things work out as planned....?

There are definitely not 2,000 women in this place. There are, however, a group of irritating women who deserve to be incarcerated. Phyllis Calvert as "Freda" speaks in a ghastly posh accent for the whole film and is quite annoying. Jean Kent as "Bridie" is the funniest to watch while Renee Houston as "Maude" is far better as a cabaret singer/performer than as a wise-cracking street-girl. Betty Jardine does well as section supervisor "Teresa" but there are no great performances in this story. Patricia Roc as "Rosemary" comes off as the best character but she shouldn't be in the film in the first place. She is caught by the French signalling to German airplanes to blow up an ammunition hold. She's in the wrong goddam prison!

An attempt is made at sentimentalism by having somebody sing "There's no place like home" whilst we pan across several of the women's faces. It's rubbish. Another moment that doesn't work happens when Muriel (Flora Robson) and Clairen (Muriel Aked) are taken away to a German prison camp. I'm afraid that we just don't care! There is no drama. The men have absolutely no presence and come across as slightly wimpish.

The ending is laughably bad. I'm not referring to the plot but to the rendition of "There'll always be an England". However, the film is lightweight fluff that passes the time and it's OK as that.