Encore (1951)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Harold French
Pat Jackson

Writers:

Eric Ambler (screenplay) (segment "Gigolo and Gigolette")
T.E.B. Clarke (screenplay) (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")

Release Date:

July 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

It's like eavesdropping on life itself!

Plot:

The film is made from three short stories by W. Somerset Maugham. The first, "The Ant and the Grasshopper"...

Plot Keywords:

Brothers | Ne'er Do Well | Businessman | Diving | Steward

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nigel Patrick	...	Tom Ramsay (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Roland Culver	...	George Ramsay (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Alison Leggatt	...	Freda Ramsay (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Charles Victor	...	Mr. Bateman (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Peter Graves	...	Philip Cronshaw (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Margaret Withers	...	Mrs. Bateman (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Margaret Vyner	...	Gertrude Wilmot (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Dorothy Bramhall	...	Secretary (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Patricia Raine	...	Office Girl (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Campbell Cotts	...	Club Member (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Michael Trubshawe	...	Ascot Man (segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper")
Kay Walsh	...	Miss Molly Reid (segment "Winter Cruise")
Noel Purcell	...	Tom, Captain (segment "Winter Cruise")
Ronald Squire	...	Doctor (segment "Winter Cruise")
John Laurie	...	Andrews, Engineer (segment "Winter Cruise")

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Two Cities Films

Quotes:

Doctor: That nonsense about Englishwomen being icebergs is a mere fallacy made up by the French.

Movie Connections:

Follows Quartet (1948)

Fitting Final Film for the Trilogy of Maugham Short Stories

The last of three films taking several Somerset Maugham short stories and getting them up on the screen (the other two were "Quartet" and "Trio"), this one again is a mixed bag, and there seems to be no agreement among commentators about which stories are superior. For me, I'll agree with most of the critics who say that the opener, "The Ant and the Grasshopper," is pretty slim pickins, especially as its ending is too absurd to be credible. But the next story, "Winter Cruise" is a remarkably beautiful effort. In some ways it shares a lot of the plot of "Mr. Know-All" in the second movie, "Trio." A passenger (this time female) makes everyone on board the ship uncomfortable and a little annoyed by her constant talking. And again, as in "Mr. Know-All," it's surprising how nicely the unlucky people who have to put up with her behave toward her -- very civilized, very polite. And finally, like "Mr. Know-All," there is a wonderful turn of events that puts the best light on everything and everyone. Only this time, the whole business is ratcheted up considerably. For me it was the gem of all three movies. The final story, "Gigolo and Gigolette," was less interesting to me, as the plot was so specific it was hard to generalize any moral from it. But it did allow the movie to go out with a bang. I also felt the actress playing the gigolette was sleepwalking through her part (and I've enjoyed her in other movies). With this movie the Maugham franchise was spent. The three movies, taken as a whole, were okay, but I wouldn't be upset if I had to leave this mortal coil without having seen them.