To Dorothy a Son
To Dorothy a Son | |
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![]() U.S. half sheet poster | |
Directed by | Muriel Box |
Written by | Peter Rogers |
Based on | To Dorothy, a Son by Roger MacDougall |
Produced by | Peter Rogers Ben Schrift |
Starring | Shelley Winters John Gregson Peggy Cummins Wilfrid Hyde-White |
Cinematography | Ernest Steward H. A. R. Thomson |
Edited by | Alfred Roome |
Music by | Lambert Williamson |
Production company | Welbeck Films |
Distributed by | Independent Film Distributors |
Release date | 29 November 1954 |
Running time | 81 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Box office | £104,557 (UK)[1] |
To Dorothy a Son is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Muriel Box and starring Shelley Winters, John Gregson and Peggy Cummins.[2] Known in the U.S. as Cash on Delivery, it is based on the 1950 play To Dorothy, a Son by Roger MacDougall which had enjoyed a lengthy run in the West End. It was shot at Elstree Studios near London with sets designed by the art director George Provis. It was distributed in America by RKO Pictures in January 1956.[3]
Premise
In order to receive a large inheritance, an American woman travels to Britain to prevent her ex-husband having any more children.
Cast
- Shelley Winters as Myrtle La Mar
- John Gregson as Tony Rapallo
- Peggy Cummins as Dorothy Rapallo
- Wilfrid Hyde-White as Mr Starke
- Mona Washbourne as Midwife Appleby
- Hal Osmond as Livingstone Potts
- Hartley Power as Cy Daniel
- Maurice Kaufmann as Elmer the Pianist
- John Warren as Waiter
- Fred Berger as Furrier
- Dorothy Bramhall as Starke's secretary
- Nicholas Parsons as Passport Official
- Ronald Adam as Parsons
- Martin Miller as Brodcynsky
- Alfie Bass as Cab Driver
- Anthony Oliver as Express Reporter
- Joan Sims as Telephone Operator
- Aubrey Mather as Dr. Cameron
- Meredith Edwards as Carter
- Campbell Singer as Pub Landlord
- Marjorie Rhodes as Landlady
- Charles Hawtrey as Waiter at Pub
- Joan Newell as Mrs. Robinson
- Bartlett Mullins as Mechanic
- Gudrun Ure as Cy Daniel's Secretary
- Grace Denbeigh-Russell as Spinster
- Charles Hammond as 'Express' Photographer
- John Warren as Waiter
Critical reception
TV Guide described the film as "a time-zone comedy, with Winters leading a British cast to give the film US appeal...None of it is terribly interesting" ;[4] whereas The New York Times wrote, "BELIEVE it or not, the running time of a stork determines the heir or heiress to $2,000,000 in Cash on Delivery, a bright, British farce that was fun on delivery at the Little Carnegie yesterday...Shelley Winters, as Myrtle, is in one of those made-to-order roles. John Gregson, as Tony, and Peggy Cummins, as Dorothy, are fine. And Mona Washbourne makes a delightfully tart nurse. Deliver yourself to the Little Carnegie. You'll have a good time."[5]
References
- ^ Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p 504
- ^ "To Dorothy, A Son (1954)". BFI. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Cash on Delivery: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ^ "Cash On Delivery". TVGuide.com.
- ^ "Movie Reviews". 26 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
External links
- To Dorothy a Son at IMDb
- Review of film at Variety
- 1954 films
- 1954 comedy films
- British films based on plays
- Films directed by Muriel Box
- British comedy films
- Films with screenplays by Peter Rogers
- Films produced by Peter Rogers
- British black-and-white films
- Films shot at British National Studios
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s British films
- 1950s British comedy film stubs