The Woman's Angle
| Industry | Film production |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Films |
The Woman's Angle is a 1952 British drama directed by Leslie Arliss, featuring performances by Edward Underdown, Cathy O'Donnell, and Lois Maxwell. The screenplay, co-written by Arliss, Mabbie Pool, and Frederick Gotfurt, adapts the 1940 novel Three Cups of Coffee authored by Ruth Feiner. Produced by the Associated British Picture Corporation and distributed through Associated British-Pathé, the film achieved a UK box office gross of £91,096.
Plot
The story centers on a man belonging to a distinguished musical family who experiences three romantic relationships, culminating in divorce and ultimately finding personal fulfillment.
Cast
- Edward Underdown portraying Robert Mansell
- Cathy O'Donnell as Nina Van Rhyne
- Lois Maxwell in the role of Enid Mansell
- Claude Farell playing Delysia Veronova
- Peter Reynolds as Brian Mansell
- Marjorie Fielding cast as Mrs. Mansell
- Anthony Nicholls appearing as Doctor Nigel Jarvis
- Isabel Dean as Isobel Mansell
- John Bentley in the role of Renfro Mansell
- Olaf Pooley portraying Rudolph Mansell
- Ernest Thesiger as the Judge
- Eric Pohlmann playing Steffano
- Joan Collins as Marina
- Malcolm Knight in the role of shepherd boy
- Fred Berger as restaurant manager
- Dana Wynter portraying Elaine
- Leslie Weston as Suttley
- Geoffrey Toone cast as Count Cambia
- Lea Seidl in the role of Madame Kossoff
- Anton Diffring appearing as peasant
- Miles Malleson playing Arthur Secrett
- Peter Illing as Sergei
- Teddy Johnson performing as nightclub singer
- Sylva Langova cast as blonde in sleigh
- Bill Shine in the role of Saunders
- Nora Gordon portraying guesthouse owner
- Wensley Pithey as Mr Witherspool
- Rufus Cruickshank playing the Scot
- Fred Griffiths appearing as cockney at bus stop
Production
Leslie Arliss had admired the novel since 1944. At that time, Peter Reynolds was contracted with Associated British.
The movie's funding came from the Elstree Group, a financial initiative supporting British films produced by the Associated British Pictures Corporation during the early 1950s. Associated British's productions often received partial backing from the National Film Finance Corporation.
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin criticized the film for its lack of creativity, describing it as "merely a filmed woman's magazine story" with an unrealistic tone.
Kine Weekly commented on the film’s serious nature but recognized its emotionally engaging and humorous moments, highlighting strong performances from Lois Maxwell, Claude Farell, and Cathy O'Donnell, alongside an appealing musical score featuring an original concerto.
Picturegoer regarded it as an entertaining work filled with clever wit and occasional charm, attributing Leslie Arliss’ direction and sharp dialogue for effectively managing otherwise thin material.
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959, David Quinlan deemed the film "mediocre," reproaching Arliss for employing an outdated Gainsborough-style approach.
The New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther dismissed it as "a bleak example of poor writing, acting, and directing throughout."