Wedding Rehearsal
Wedding Rehearsal is a 1932 British romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Korda and starring Roland Young as a bachelor forced to seek a wife.
| Wedding Rehearsal | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alexander Korda |
| Produced by | Alexander Korda (uncredited) |
| Written by | Lajos Bíró (story) George Grossmith, Jr. (story) Helen Gardom Robert Vansittart Arthur Wimperis (dialogue) |
| Starring | Roland Young |
| Music by | Kurt Schröder |
| Cinematography | Leslie Rowson |
| Edited by | Harold Young |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Ideal Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
"Reggie" (Roland Young), the carefree Marquis of Buckminster, is happy to serve as best man at his friends' weddings, but loathes the idea of getting married himself. However, his grandmother (Kate Cutler), the Dowager Marchioness of Buckminster, is impatient for him to have children and gives him an ultimatum: find a wife or she will cut off his allowance. She gives him a list of half a dozen or so candidates she has handpicked. At the head of the list are the twin daughters of the Earl of Stokeshire (George Grossmith, Jr.), Lady Mary Rose (Wendy Barrie) and Lady Rose Mary (Joan Gardner). Observing his discomfort with interest is the Marchioness's secretary and companion, Miss Hutchinson (Merle Oberon, in her first credited role).
Reggie had been seeing a beautiful married woman, Mrs. Dryden (Diana Napier), but faced with poverty, he gives in. He flips a coin to decide between the twins, but finds (to his relief) that both already have beaus, "Bimbo" (John Loder) and "Tootles" (Maurice Evans). However, the young ladies have been reluctant to approach their status-conscious father, as their sweethearts are commoners. Reggie comes up with the idea to save himself from marriage by getting all his grandmother's candidates engaged, starting with the twins. He helps the two couples by leaking the story of their engagements to the press, forcing the earl to (reluctantly) accept the situation. The guests spend the days leading up to the dual wedding at the earl's country estate, affording Reggie the opportunity to successfully play matchmaker for the rest of the women on his list.
One night, he finds Miss Hutchinson alone and crying; he guesses she is having romantic problems of her own and advises her to look her man straight in the eye and have it out. Later, she takes his advice...and confronts him. Reggie then discovers he is not so opposed to marriage after all. All is complete when the Marchioness herself accepts the proposal of a longtime admirer, Major Harry Roxbury (Morton Selten).
Cast
- Roland Young as Marquis of Buckminster
- George Grossmith, Jr. as Earl of Stokeshire
- John Loder as "Bimbo"
- Wendy Barrie as Lady Mary Rose
- Joan Gardner as Lady Rose Mary
- Merle Oberon as Miss Hutchinson
- Helen Maud Holt (Lady Tree) as Countess of Stokeshire
- Kate Cutler as Dowager Marchioness of Buckminster
- Maurice Evans as "Tootles"
- Morton Selten as Major Harry Roxbury
- Edmund Breon as Lord Fleet
- Laurence Hanray as News Editor
- Diana Napier as Mrs. Dryden