Review Miranda (1948)

[Doctor Omega]

Miranda is a 1948 British comedy film, directed by Ken Annakin and written by Peter Blackmore, who also wrote the play of the same name from which the film was adapted. Denis Waldock provided additional dialogue. A light comedy, the film is about a beautiful and playful mermaid played by Glynis Johns and her effect on Griffith Jones. Googie Withers and Margaret Rutherford are also featured in the film. Glynis Johns and Margaret Rutherford reprised their roles in the 1954 sequel, Mad About Men.

Music for the film was played by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Muir Mathieson. The sound director was B. C, Sewell.

• Glynis Johns as Miranda Trewella
• Googie Withers as Clare Martin
• Griffith Jones as Dr Paul Martin
• John McCallum as Nigel
• David Tomlinson as Charles
• Margaret Rutherford as Nurse Carey
• Yvonne Owen as Betty, the Martins' other servant and Charles' girlfriend
• Sonia Holm as Isobel
• Brian Oulton as Manell
• Zena Marshall as Secretary
• Lyn Evans as Inn Landlady
• Stringer Davis as Museum Attendant
• Hal Osmond as Railway Carman
• Maurice Denham as Cockle Vendor

Spoiler

With his wife uninterested in fishing, Dr. Paul Martin goes on a holiday on the Cornwall coast alone. There he snags Miranda, a mermaid, and is pulled into the water. She keeps him prisoner in her underwater cavern and only lets him go after he agrees to show her London. He disguises her as an invalid patient in a wheelchair and takes her to his home for a month-long stay.

The film was one of the most popular movies at the British box office in 1948. It recorded a profit of £5,600

 

[Carol]

Big thank you to the Doc for adding this one - it's one of several very British comedies of its generation that I was brought up watching on TV with my mum (suspect on Saturdays when dad was at Elland Road). There's Genevieve, and Whisky Galore and Geordie as well, and I think I'd put Margaret Rutherford's comedy Miss Marple films in as well - none of them the much more famous Ealing comedies of that era and all made, I think before the Carry Ons kicked off. Sweet and silly and relaxing post war escapism... I feel a revival coming on (but for goodness sake, no reboots!)