An Alligator Named Daisy

An Alligator Named Daisy is a 1955 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Donald Sinden, Jeannie Carson, James Robertson Justice, Diana Dors, Roland Culver and Stanley Holloway.[1][2][3]

An Alligator Named Daisy
UK theatrical poster
Directed byJ. Lee Thompson
Produced byRaymond Stross
Written byJack Davies
Based onnovel by Charles Terrot
StarringDonald Sinden
Jeannie Carson
James Robertson Justice
Diana Dors
Stanley Holloway
CinematographyReginald H. Wyer
Edited byJohn D. Guthridge
Distributed byRank Organisation
Release date
13 December 1955
Running time
88 min
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Returning from a cricket match in Ireland, Peter Weston (Sinden), an Englishman, is left with a pet alligator by another passenger who abandons it to him. Horrified, his first instinct is to get rid of it as soon as possible. However, he soon develops a bond with Moira (Carson), a young Irishwoman, which appears to be centred almost entirely around the animal. He soon discovers that Daisy is very tame and domesticated, and seems to be the way to Moira's heart.

Once back in London, Weston struggles to keep Daisy under control – as she upsets his family, loses him his job at a department store and imperils his relationship with his fiancée Vanessa (Dors). He plans to get rid of Daisy, but the police and a pet shop refuse to take her so he abandons her in Regent's Park, later returning with a sense of guilt to rescue her. Owing to a mix-up, Daisy is packed along with the rest of his luggage and accompanies him to his prospective father-in-law's country house. There, Daisy escapes and causes mayhem, while the arrival of Moira's "husband" produces a surprising outcome for all of them.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a novel published in 1954.[4] Film rights were bought by Raymond Stross in November 1954. He wanted Diana Dors, Janette Scott and Kenneth Moore to star.[5]

Filming took place at Pinewood Studios in May 1955.[6][7] It was Dors' third movie with Thompson.[8]

Critical reception

The TV Guide wrote, "This very funny film has an excellent supporting cast."[9] The New York Times found that despite "a curiously cute bit by Margaret Rutherford, as a pet-shop owner who talks to the animals in their own "language."...the joke wears thin."[10]

References
  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047813/
  2. "An Alligator Named Daisy". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  3. ALLIGATOR NAMED DAISY, An Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 23, Iss. 264, (Jan 1, 1956): 6.
  4. Our Bookshelf: BELLA NORTH Stern, G B. The Sketch; London Vol. 221, Iss. 2869, (Sep 22, 1954): 232.
  5. "SPOTLIGHT ON THE STARS". Western Mail. [?] ([?]). Western Australia. 4 November 1954. p. 27. Retrieved 25 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Round the British Studios Nepean, Edith. Picture Show; London Vol. 65, Iss. 1690, (Aug 20, 1955): 11.
  7. "No title". The Mirror. 35 (1773). Western Australia. 21 May 1955. p. 14. Retrieved 25 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia. Cite uses generic title (help)
  8. Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
  9. "An Alligator Named Daisy Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  10. A.H. WEILERDonald Sinden (7 October 1957). "Movie Review - An Alligator Named Daisy - Screen: New Best Friend; 'Alligator Named Daisy' Slithers Into Sutton". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
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