There Was a Young Lady

There Was a Young Lady is a 1953 British comedy film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray and Sydney Tafler. It was made at Walton Studios and on location in London. The film's sets were designed by the art director Frederick Pusey . Huntington had been a prominent director in the 1940s but after this film he dropped into making second features.[1] The film marked the screen debut of Geraldine McEwan as dim-witted secretary Irene.[2]

There Was a Young Lady
Directed byLawrence Huntington
Produced byA.R. Rawlinson
Ernest G. Roy
Written byVernon Harris
Lawrence Huntington
John Jowett
StarringMichael Denison
Dulcie Gray
Sydney Tafler
Music byWilfred Burns
CinematographyGerald Gibbs
Edited byJoseph Sterling
Production
company
Distributed byButcher's Film Service (UK)
Release date
  • January 1953 (1953-01) (UK)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Super-efficient secretary Elizabeth Foster (Dulcie Gray) effectively runs the family jewellery firm. Her boss David Walsh is on the point of asking her to marry her when the poor ring causes the whole plan to go awry and she quits instead.

She walks out of her office and straight into a smash and grab robbery. Kidnapped by the gang and taken to their mansion hideout in rural Sussex, she slips a note to the cart man who takes them to the mansion. It is written on a pound note and only noticed when he spends it in the pub.

Elizabeth sets to improve the living conditions of the robbers and also proves to know far more about their jewel haul than they know themselves. All her predictions as to how their smash and grab plans will fail prove to be correct.

The gang all fall in love with Elizabeth and treat her very well. Nevertheless they eventually rob the Walsh shop.

David Walsh comes to rescue Elizabeth.

Cast

Critical reception

Radio Times wrote "Chuckles abound";[3] and TV Guide noted "Decent comedy is slightly better than average, with Gray at her brightest."[4]

References
  1. Chibnall & MacFarlane p.148
  2. "Geraldine McEwan". BFI.
  3. "There Was a Young Lady – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.
  4. "There Was A Young Lady | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.

Bibliography
  • Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.
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