The story of Sir Charles Hare - Terence Morgan - Irish baronet, horse-owner and gambler, who loses everything save one foal. This is trained by the eccentric Lazy Mangan, including a visit to the Queen of the Fairies... Charles is also in pursuit of a new 'filly' Pat Maguire, an American heiress.
Only mildly amusing, but with a sunny charm, this was a film for all the family, as they used to say. Others might cite it as typifying the bland and conservative fare served up by British studios for most of the Fifties. In CinemaScope, it is superbly photographed by Jack Hildyard in Eastman Colour, with likable characters, not least the always welcome Peggy Cummins' Pat, though she doesn't sound as if she's been anywhere near the U.S. Her father here, Canadian, MacDonald Parke, almost always played Americans in British films, most notably Doc in NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH. Terence Morgan seems more comfortable as the genial Sir Charles than he sometimes did in his more familiar role as a villain. Martita Hunt, much less imperious than usual, is fun as the kindly Lady Anne, but the best performance comes from Cyril Cusack, making the potentially irritating booze-and-blarney soaked Mangan, so engaging and amiable.
Only mildly amusing, but with a sunny charm, this was a film for all the family, as they used to say. Others might cite it as typifying the bland and conservative fare served up by British studios for most of the Fifties. In CinemaScope, it is superbly photographed by Jack Hildyard in Eastman Colour, with likable characters, not least the always welcome Peggy Cummins' Pat, though she doesn't sound as if she's been anywhere near the U.S. Her father here, Canadian, MacDonald Parke, almost always played Americans in British films, most notably Doc in NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH. Terence Morgan seems more comfortable as the genial Sir Charles than he sometimes did in his more familiar role as a villain. Martita Hunt, much less imperious than usual, is fun as the kindly Lady Anne, but the best performance comes from Cyril Cusack, making the potentially irritating booze-and-blarney soaked Mangan, so engaging and amiable.
