Adam and Evelyne: Difference between revisions

Adam and Evelyne
Adam and Evelyne
	Poster with the American title
Directed by	Harold French
Written by	Noel Langley (story); George Barraud; Nicholas Phipps; Lesley Storm
Produced by	Harold French
Starring	Stewart Granger; Jean Simmons
Production; company	Two Cities Films
Distributed by	Rank Films
Release date	31 May 1949;
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	189,023 admissions (France)

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Adam and Evelyne, released in the U.S. as Adam and Evalyn, is a 1949 romance film starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons. Based on a storyline written by Granger and Noel Langley, it was both directed and produced by Harold French. According to Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies, the leads suited the stars, as they were romantically involved at the time, despite their age difference. They married the next year.^[2]^[3]

Plot

When jockey Chris Kirby is fatally injured in a horse race, he gets his best friend, gambler Adam Black, to promise to take care of his teenage daughter, Evelyne, who has been raised apart from her father. Unbeknownst to Adam, Evelyne had been led to believe that Adam is her father in correspondence between parent and child. Adam is unable to tell her the truth; his butler and friend Bill Murray tries and fails as well. Finally, Adam's sometime girlfriend Moira breaks the news to the girl.

Adam sends Evelyne to an exclusive boarding school. When she has grown up, she reappears unexpectedly in his life. Because of the hatred she has for gambling, Adam does not reveal that he stages illegal gambling sessions; instead he tells her that he makes his money on the stock exchange. She begins casually dating Adam's no-good brother Roddy.

When Adam tells Moira that he is getting out of the business, she accuses him of being in love with his "ward". Roddy has his own grudge against his brother – Adam refuses to finance a shady deal – and the two of them tip off the police about Adam's last operation. Roddy also brings Evelyne to see what Adam really does for a living.

Shocked, she quarrels with Adam and leaves. A kindly gambler, Colonel Bradley, gives her some sage advice and persuades her to reconcile with Adam.

Cast

Stewart Granger as Adam Black
Jean Simmons as Evelyne Kirby
Edwin Styles as Bill Murray
Raymond Young as Roddy Black
Helen Cherry as Moira
Beatrice Varley as Mrs. Parker, a gambler
Joan Swinstead as Molly
Wilfred Hyde-White as Colonel Bradley
Fred Johnson as Chris Kirby
Geoffrey Denton as Police Inspector Collins
Peter Reynolds as David
Mona Washbourne as Mrs Salop

Production

Stewart Granger says the storyline of the film was his, based on the old silent film Daddy Long Legs, He contacted the writer Noel Langley and they wrote it as a vehicle for Jean Simmons. "It was a very good vehicle for her", he said. "It was a sweet film, a charming light comedy."^[4]

Director Harold French also said he "really liked" the film.

At that stage I could pick and choose and I really liked that one. I became producer because Paul Soskin, who was to have produced it, didn’t like the fact that I had employed an actor called Edwin Styles for the part of the valet; I thought he was quite good and he got on well with Jimmy [Stewart] Granger in his first comedy role. Paul said he wanted to go back to America, and would I take over as producer? I didn’t mind... I did enjoy that film and I adored working with Jean Simmons, a lovely actress.^[5]

This was the first adult role of Jean Simmons, who had become a star in Great Expectations.^[6]

Simmons and Granger were rumoured to be romantically involved during filming although they denied it to the press.^[7]

Production of the film was interrupted by a strike from crew members at Denham Studios in protest over recent sackings of film workers. (Others which ceased production were The Cardboard Cavalier and Tottie True.)^[8]

Reception

The film was voted best comedy of the year at the International Film Festival in Locarno Switzerland.^[9]

Box office

It was successful at the box office in Britain.^[10]^[11]

Critical

Rank and File wrote in 2013, "The audience isn't certain whether they are watching a drama or a not particularly funny screwball comedy...Despite these shortcoming the film has a certain charm and remains watchable."^[12] Some time, likely in the 2000s, critic Leonard Maltin called it a "Pleasant but ordinary tale".^[13]^{[failed verification]}

Filmink called it "a dodgy comedy where Jean Simmons falls in love with her adopted father Stewart Granger, and we’re meant to find it sweet."^[14]

References

^ Box office information for Stewart Granger films in France at Box Office Story
^ "Wedding bells mean journeys for Jean Simmons". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30 December 1950. p. 31. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Romance started for Jean Simmons when 14". Sunday Mail. Brisbane. 14 January 1951. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Brian MacFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Methuen 1997 p 231
^ Brian MacFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Methuen 1997 p 213
^ "JEAN SIMMONDS TO FACE F/LIGHTS". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld. 16 November 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Famous stars are real-life friends". The Australian Women's Weekly. 8 January 1949. p. 32. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "FILM STRIKE". The Sunday Times. Perth. 31 October 1948. p. 12 Section: The Sunday Times Sporting Section. Retrieved 4 March 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
^ DEVELOPMENT CHARGES. (20 July 1949). The Scotsman
^ "FILM NEWS". South Western Advertiser. Perth. 16 June 1949. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Thumim, Janet. "The popular cash and culture in the postwar British cinema industry". Screen. Vol. 32, no. 3. p. 258.
^ "Rank and File – A British Cinema Blog". rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk.
^ "Adam And Evelyne (1949) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
^ Vagg, Stephen (11 November 2024). "Peter Reynolds: Forgotten Cad". Filmink. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

External links

Adam and Evelyne at IMDb
Review of film at Variety

[box-1] Box office information for Stewart Granger films in France at Box Office Story

[2] "Wedding bells mean journeys for Jean Simmons". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30 December 1950. p. 31. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

[3] "Romance started for Jean Simmons when 14". Sunday Mail. Brisbane. 14 January 1951. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

[brian-4] Brian MacFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Methuen 1997 p 231

[5] Brian MacFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Methuen 1997 p 213

[6] "JEAN SIMMONDS TO FACE F/LIGHTS". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld. 16 November 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

[7] "Famous stars are real-life friends". The Australian Women's Weekly. 8 January 1949. p. 32. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

[8] "FILM STRIKE". The Sunday Times. Perth. 31 October 1948. p. 12 Section: The Sunday Times Sporting Section. Retrieved 4 March 2013 – via National Library of Australia.

[9] DEVELOPMENT CHARGES. (20 July 1949). The Scotsman

[10] "FILM NEWS". South Western Advertiser. Perth. 16 June 1949. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.

[11] Thumim, Janet. "The popular cash and culture in the postwar British cinema industry". Screen. Vol. 32, no. 3. p. 258.

[12] "Rank and File – A British Cinema Blog". rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk.

[13] "Adam And Evelyne (1949) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.

[cad-14] Vagg, Stephen (11 November 2024). "Peter Reynolds: Forgotten Cad". Filmink. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1949 British film by Harold French}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
 {{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
 {{Infobox film
 | name           = Adam and Evelyne
+| image	         = Adam and Evelyne VideoCover.jpeg
-| image_size     =
-| image	=	Adam and Evelyne VideoCover.jpeg
 | caption        = Poster with the American title
 | director       = [[Harold French]]
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 | distributor    = Rank Films
 | studio         = [[Two Cities Films]]
-| released       = {{start date|df=yes|1949|5|31}}
+| released       = {{Film date|df=y|1949|5|31}}
 | runtime        = 70 minutes
 | country        = United Kingdom
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 | budget         =
 | gross          = 189,023 admissions (France)<ref name="box">[http://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.boxofficestory.com/&prev=search Box office information for Stewart Granger films in France] at Box Office Story</ref>
-| preceded_by    =
-| followed_by    =
 }}
-'''''Adam and Evelyne''''', released in the U.S. as '''''Adam and Evalyn''''', is a 1949 [[romance film]] starring [[Stewart Granger]] and [[Jean Simmons]]. According to [[Robert Osborne]], host of [[Turner Classic Movies]], this suited the stars, as they were romantically involved at the time, despite their age difference. They married the next year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47806321 |title=Wedding bells mean journeys for Jean Simmons. |newspaper=[[The Australian Women's Weekly]] | date=30 December 1950 |accessdate=20 June 2015 |page=31 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article98343741 |title=Romance started for Jean Simmons when 14. |newspaper=[[The Sunday Mail (Brisbane)|Sunday Mail]] |location=Brisbane |date=14 January 1951 |accessdate=20 June 2015 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
+'''''Adam and Evelyne''''', released in the U.S. as '''''Adam and Evalyn''''', is a 1949 [[romance film]] starring [[Stewart Granger]] and [[Jean Simmons]]. Based on a storyline written by Granger and Noel Langley, it was both directed and produced by [[Harold French]].  According to [[Robert Osborne]], host of [[Turner Classic Movies]], the leads suited the stars, as they were romantically involved at the time, despite their age difference. They married the next year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47806321 |title=Wedding bells mean journeys for Jean Simmons. |newspaper=[[The Australian Women's Weekly]] | date=30 December 1950 |accessdate=20 June 2015 |page=31 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article98343741 |title=Romance started for Jean Simmons when 14. |newspaper=[[The Sunday Mail (Brisbane)|Sunday Mail]] |location=Brisbane |date=14 January 1951 |accessdate=20 June 2015 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
 ==Plot==
-When jockey Chris Kirby (Fred Johnson) is fatally injured in a horse race, he gets his best friend, gambler Adam Black (Stewart Granger), to promise to take care of his teenage daughter, Evelyne (Jean Simmons), who has been raised apart from her father. Unbeknownst to Adam, Evelyne had been led to believe that Adam is her father in correspondence between parent and child. Adam is unable to tell her the truth; his butler and friend Bill Murray (Edwin Styles) tries and fails as well. Finally, Adam's sometime girlfriend Moira ([[Helen Cherry]]) breaks the news to the girl.
+When jockey Chris Kirby is fatally injured in a horse race, he gets his best friend, gambler Adam Black, to promise to take care of his teenage daughter, Evelyne, who has been raised apart from her father. Unbeknownst to Adam, Evelyne had been led to believe that Adam is her father in correspondence between parent and child. Adam is unable to tell her the truth; his butler and friend Bill Murray tries and fails as well. Finally, Adam's sometime girlfriend Moira breaks the news to the girl.
-Adam sends Evelyne to an exclusive boarding school. When she has grown up, she reappears unexpectedly in his life. Because of the hatred she has for gambling, Adam does not reveal that he stages illegal gambling sessions; instead he tells her that he makes his money on the stock exchange. She begins casually dating Adam's no-good brother Roddy (Raymond Young).
+Adam sends Evelyne to an exclusive boarding school. When she has grown up, she reappears unexpectedly in his life. Because of the hatred she has for gambling, Adam does not reveal that he stages illegal gambling sessions; instead he tells her that he makes his money on the stock exchange. She begins casually dating Adam's no-good brother Roddy.
 When Adam tells Moira that he is getting out of the business, she accuses him of being in love with his "ward". Roddy has his own grudge against his brother – Adam refuses to finance a shady deal – and the two of them tip off the police about Adam's last operation. Roddy also brings Evelyne to see what Adam really does for a living.
-Shocked, she quarrels with Adam and leaves. A kindly gambler, Colonel Bradley ([[Wilfred Hyde-White]]), gives her some sage advice and persuades her to reconcile with Adam.
+Shocked, she quarrels with Adam and leaves. A kindly gambler, Colonel Bradley, gives her some sage advice and persuades her to reconcile with Adam.
 ==Cast==
@@ Line 45: / Line 43: @@
 * [[Wilfred Hyde-White]] as Colonel Bradley
 * Fred Johnson as Chris Kirby
-* Geoffrey Denton as Police Inspector Collins
+* [[Geoffrey Denton (actor)|Geoffrey Denton]] as Police Inspector Collins
 * [[Peter Reynolds (actor)|Peter Reynolds]] as David
+* [[Mona Washbourne]] as Mrs Salop
 ==Production==
 Stewart Granger says the storyline of the film was his, based on the old silent film ''[[Daddy-Long-Legs (1919 film)|Daddy Long Legs]]'', He contacted the writer Noel Langley and they wrote it as a vehicle for Jean Simmons. "It was a very good vehicle for her", he said. "It was a sweet film, a charming light comedy."<ref name="brian">Brian MacFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Methuen 1997 p 231</ref>
-Director Harold French also said he "really liked" the film.<ref>Brian MacFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Methuen 1997 p 213</ref>
+Director Harold French also said he "really liked" the film.
+<blockquote>At that stage I could pick and choose and I really liked that one. I became producer because Paul Soskin, who was to have produced it, didn’t like the fact that I had employed an actor called Edwin Styles for the part of the valet; I thought he was quite good and he got on well with Jimmy [Stewart] Granger in his first comedy role. Paul said he wanted to go back to America, and would I take over as producer? I didn’t mind... I did enjoy that film and I adored working with Jean Simmons, a lovely actress.<ref>Brian MacFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Methuen 1997 p 213</ref>
+</blockquote>
 This was the first adult role of Jean Simmons, who had become a star in ''[[Great Expectations]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63371662 |title=JEAN SIMMONDS TO FACE F/LIGHTS. |newspaper=[[Townsville Daily Bulletin]] |location=Qld. |date=16 November 1948 |accessdate=20 June 2015 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 ===Critical===
-Critic [[Leonard Maltin]] called it a "Pleasant but ordinary tale";<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/66788/Adam-And-Evelyne/|title=Adam And Evelyne (1949) - Overview - TCM.com|website=Turner Classic Movies}}</ref> and ''Rank and File'' wrote, "The audience isn't certain whether they are watching a drama or a not particularly funny [[Screwball comedy film|screwball comedy]]...Despite these shortcoming the film has a certain charm and remains watchable."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/adam-and-evelyne-1949-this-was-film.html|title=Rank and File – A British Cinema Blog|website=rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk}}</ref>
+''Rank and File'' wrote in 2013, "The audience isn't certain whether they are watching a drama or a not particularly funny [[Screwball comedy film|screwball comedy]]...Despite these shortcoming the film has a certain charm and remains watchable."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/adam-and-evelyne-1949-this-was-film.html|title=Rank and File – A British Cinema Blog|website=rankandfile1.blogspot.co.uk}}</ref> Some time, likely in the 2000s, critic [[Leonard Maltin]] called it a "Pleasant but ordinary tale".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/66788/Adam-And-Evelyne/|title=Adam And Evelyne (1949) - Overview - TCM.com|website=Turner Classic Movies}}</ref>{{failed verification|reason=No reference to Maltin review at that website|date=October 2023}}
+''Filmink'' called it "a dodgy comedy where Jean Simmons falls in love with her adopted father Stewart Granger, and we’re meant to find it sweet."<ref name="cad">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/peter-reynolds-forgotten-cad/|date=11 November 2024|access-date=11 November 2024|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Peter Reynolds: Forgotten Cad}}</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 78: / Line 80: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Adam And Evelyne}}
 [[Category:1949 films]]
+[[Category:1949 romantic drama films]]
+[[Category:1940s British films]]
+[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
 [[Category:British black-and-white films]]
-[[Category:British films]]
+[[Category:British films about gambling]]
+[[Category:British romantic drama films]]
 [[Category:Films directed by Harold French]]
-[[Category:Gambling films]]
+[[Category:Films with screenplays by Noel Langley]]
-[[Category:1940s romantic drama films]]
 [[Category:Two Cities Films films]]
-[[Category:British romantic drama films]]
+[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]
-[[Category:1949 drama films]]