The Two Mrs. Grenvilles 

Family image matters more than anything to the Grenvilles, even when the son is shot dead by his former chorus girl wife, whom his mother despises.

Stars:

Ann-Margret, Claudette Colbert, Stephen Collins

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Ann-Margret	...	Ann Arden Grenville 2 episodes, 1987
Claudette Colbert	...	Alice Grenville 2 episodes, 1987
Stephen Collins	...	Billy Grenville Jr. 2 episodes, 1987
John Rubinstein	...	Bratsie Bleeker 2 episodes, 1987
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Babette Van Degan 2 episodes, 1987
Penny Fuller	...	Cordelia Grenville Hardington 2 episodes, 1987
Kate Harper	...	Felicity Grenville 2 episodes, 1987
Jana Shelden	...	Grace Grenville 2 episodes, 1987
Peter Eyre	...	Basil Plante 2 episodes, 1987
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Sam Rosenthal 2 episodes, 1987
Sam Wanamaker	...	District Attorney 2 episodes, 1987
Toria Fuller	...	Esme Bland 2 episodes, 1987
Robert Sherman	...	Billy Bob Veblen 2 episodes, 1987
Siân Phillips	...	Duchess of Windsor 2 episodes, 1987
Michael Feinstein	...	Pianist 2 episodes, 1987
Manning Redwood	...	Detective Loomis 2 episodes, 1987
Margaret Courtenay	...	Mme. Sophia 2 episodes, 1987
Delena Kidd	...	Tuchy Bainbridge 2 episodes, 1987
Genevieve Allenbury	...	Antonella 2 episodes, 1987
Rex Robbins	...	Cab Driver #1 2 episodes, 1987
Joseph Leon	...	Cab Driver #2 2 episodes, 1987
Bruce Boa	...	Hunnicutt 2 episodes, 1987
Ellis Dale	...	Cahill 2 episodes, 1987
Shane Rimmer	...	Doorman 2 episodes, 1987
Alexander Davion	...	Arturo 2 episodes, 1987
Lewis Fiander	...	Lord Kingswood 2 episodes, 1987
Chuck Julian	...	Bartender at El Marocco 2 episodes, 1987
Louisa Flaningam	...	Chorus Girl #1 2 episodes, 1987
Pamela Sousa	...	Chorus Girl #2 2 episodes, 1987
Michael Shannon	...	Jack Fisher 2 episodes, 1987
Faith Brook	...	Edith Brompton 2 episodes, 1987
Christopher Fairbank	...	Horst Berger 2 episodes, 1987
Ed Bishop	...	Strasser 2 episodes, 1987
Donald Pickering	...	Lord Frankham 2 episodes, 1987
Don Fellows	...	Ralph Wiggins 2 episodes, 1987
Charlotte Mitchell	...	Emma Adams 2 episodes, 1987
Arthur Whitelaw	...	Pianist 2 episodes, 1987
Nancy Nevinson	...	Molly 2 episodes, 1987
Jonathan Haley	...	Christopher 2 episodes, 1987
Blain Fairman	...	Dr. Sidney Skinner 2 episodes, 1987
Helen Horton	...	Nurse at Playhouse 2 episodes, 1987
Benjamin Feitelson	...	Paolo 2 episodes, 1987
Christopher Muncke	...	Chauffeur 2 episodes, 1987
John Carlin	...	Forbes 2 episodes, 1987

Storyline

Ann, a former chorus girl marries above herself into a rich society family, but her mother-in-law regards her with great suspicion from the start. When Ann shoots her husband dead, claiming she thought he was a prowler, the older Mrs. Grenville decides to back the woman she despises, to protect the family image.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | crying woman | character name in series title | surname in series title | tv mini series | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 February 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

Filming Locations:

Lee International Studios, Wembley, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lorimar Telepictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

178 min 310 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Claudette Colbert's last film.

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Goofs

Equipment shadow swoops over set when William's mother visits Ann in hospital room.

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Quotes

Billy Grenville Jr.: Did he invite you to dinner? Did he? No, probably more like, "Why don't you come watch me play polo sometime, it'll give you a chance to wear that tiara!"

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Connections

Referenced in Frasier: The Two Mrs. Cranes (1996)

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Soundtracks

Speak Low
Music by Kurt Weill

User Reviews

good, trashy story, and old-time Hollywood to boot

This is a highly entertaining movie from the '80s when they still made them with opulence! "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" was originally a novel written by Dominick Dunne. The plot is based on the real-life story of the shooting of William Woodward, a New York socialite. The question asked for years afterwards was, did his wife shoot him by accident thinking he was a burglar as she claimed? Or did she deliberately kill him? The film explores this and the lives of the wealthy along the way.

In the movie, Ann-Margret portrays the chorus girl wife who marries way, way above her station. The other Mrs. Grenville is her mother-in-law, played to perfection by the still glamorous Claudette Colbert. People who knew Woodward's real-life mother, Elsie, state that Colbert was dead-on in the role. In the book, film, and real life, the elder Mrs. Grenville supports her daughter-in-law throughout but not because she believes her or can even tolerate her. She does it to protect the family from scandal.

The movie spans fifty years and will hold your interest throughout.