The Love Lottery (1954)

Director:

Charles Crichton

Writers:

Charles Neilson-Terry (story) and
Zelma Bramley Moore (story) ...

Release Date:

January 1954 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

Rex Allerton is a top Hollywood star and an idol of the female population. To get away from the pressure of the fans who won't leave him alone...

Plot Keywords:

Ealing

Cast

David Niven	...	Rex Allerton
Peggy Cummins	...	Sally
Anne Vernon	...	Jane Dubois
Herbert Lom	...	André Amico
Charles Victor	...	Jennings
Gordon Jackson	...	Ralph
Felix Aylmer	...	Winant
Hugh McDermott	...	Rodney Wheeler
Stanley Maxted	...	Oliver Stanton
June Clyde	...	Viola
John Chandos	...	Gulliver Kee, Chinaman
Theodore Bikel	...	Parsimonious
Sebastian Cabot	...	Suarez
Eugene Deckers	...	Vernet
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Fodor

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Quotes:

Rex Allerton: What do you do?
Jane Dubois: I am a mathematician.
Rex Allerton: Teehee, you're what?
Jane Dubois: I see what you mean. It's improbable, isn't it?
Rex Allerton: No, I'm sorry. No, I didn't mean to...
Jane Dubois: No, no. It's quite alright. Hardly anyone believes me at first but when I multiply a few 10 digit numbers and give them the cube root for a few more, they come around.
Rex Allerton: You do all that?
Jane Dubois: And more, Smithy, and more.
Rex Allerton: Look this may be my last night in Tremaggio. Will you have dinner with me?
Jane Dubois: Of course! I've been sitting in this wet suit waiting for you to speak up. Come around at 8:30. We'll do some compound fractions before dinner.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Magical Eye (1989)

Soundtrack:

IT MAY BE YOU

A forgotten pleasure

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This is a delightful comedy and, what is more, it is neither devoid of depth nor lacking in intelligence. The idea is simple. Fans make a film star weary. He is so fed up with life than he accepts becoming the prize of a love lottery. He finds love on the way, but can't get married since he is engaged to the future winner. The winner -another girl- realizes after a day with him that her first love is more her type. The End. Admittedly, it's a slim story line, but David Niven makes it great fun, and Charles Crichton adds some delightfully ironical moments (he did make "A fish called Wanda" later). All in all a much under-rated comedy, worth many better-known ones. Definitely worth seeing.