The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writers:

Terence Rattigan (by)
Terence Rattigan (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

13 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Some countries have a medal for Everything.

Plot:

When Grandduke Charles, the prince-regent of Carpathia, a fictitious Balkan country which could start a European war by switching alliances...

Plot Keywords:

Coronation | King | Protocol | Embassy | Order

Awards:

Nominated for 5 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Wattis	...	Northbrook
David Horne	...	The Foreign Office
Jeremy Spenser	...	King Nicolas
Sybil Thorndike	...	The Queen Dowager
Laurence Olivier	...	The Regent
Harold Goodwin	...	Call Boy
Gladys Henson	...	Dresser
Marilyn Monroe	...	Elsie
Jean Kent	...	Maisie Springfield
Charles Victor	...	Theatre Manager
Daphne Anderson	...	Fanny
Vera Day	...	Betty
Gillian Owen	...	Maggie
Esmond Knight	...	Hoffman
Paul Hardwick	...	Major Domo
Rosamund Greenwood	...	Maud
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Valet with Violin (as Andrea Melandrinos)
Margot Lister	...	Lottie
Dennis Edwards	...	Head Valet
Aubrey Dexter	...	The Ambassador
Maxine Audley	...	Lady Sunningdale

Directed by
Laurence Olivier

Writing credits
Terence Rattigan		(by)
Terence Rattigan		(screenplay)
Terence Rattigan		(play "The Sleeping Prince") uncredited

Produced by
Milton H. Greene	....	executive producer
Laurence Olivier	....	producer
Marilyn Monroe	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Richard Addinsell

Cinematography by
Jack Cardiff		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jack Harris

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Roger K. Furse		(as Roger Furse)

Art Direction by
Carmen Dillon

Makeup Department
Gordon Bond	....	hairdresser
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist (as Toni Sforzini)
John Wilcox	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Edward Joseph	....	production manager (as Teddy Joseph)
Hugh Perceval	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David W. Orton	....	assistant director (as David Orton)
Geoffrey Haine	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
David Tringham	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Dario Simoni	....	set dresser
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Ronnie Udell	....	construction manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon McCallum)
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
Roy Charman	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Danny Daniel	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harry Fairbairn	....	sound assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	special effects
Bill Warrington	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Denys N. Coop	....	camera operator (as Denys Coop)
Wally Fairweather	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Reg Johnson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
James Swarbrick	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beatrice Dawson	....	ladies costumes

Music Department
Ted Drake	....	music recordist
Muir Mathieson	....	music director
Douglas Gamley	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Anthony Bushell	....	associate director
William Chappell	....	dances arranged by
Elaine Schreyeck	....	continuity
Colin Clark	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Una Pearl	....	stand-in: Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)
Paula Strasberg	....	dialogue coach: Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents) (as Warner Bros. Pictures Inc)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1957) (1971) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1957) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1957) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Emerald (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1980) (1996) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• TV3 (1988) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (198?) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1965) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Iceland:L | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | Netherlands:AL (original rating) (1957) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Germany:12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Laurence Olivier had already played the part of the Prince Regent on the London stage, alongside his wife Vivien Leigh.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The initial titles showing a pan across London, is clearly made from the south bank of the Thames. Whilst it correctly shows the monument to the Great Fire of London to the west of the Tower of London, it then shows Houses of Parliament way to the east of these. Parliament is actually way to the west of both in Westminster.

Quotes:

Elsie Marina:[having learned the details of the Regent's "party"] You know, there's a word for what you are and it's not Deputy Head of the Far Eastern Department.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Hour: Episode #1.3" (2011)

Soundtrack:

The Minstrel Boy

Lost opportunity

If this movie would have been like its first 40 minutes, now we'd been talking about a masterpiece. Unfortunately, after the initial fireworks due to the perfect duet between an extraordinary actor as Laurence Olivier and the magnificent Marilyn Monroe, the movie loses its push, maybe because the story doesn't know where to go. Actually the movie is good only when there's Olivier and Marilyn together in a room: the rest is really pointless. It's a pity because the scenography, the music, the acting and the direction of Olivier were good. A lost opportunity.