Genevieve -- Special Edition [DVD]

For anyone who travels the congested roads of Britain these days the utterly delightful Genevieve will provoke a wistful, nostalgic sigh of regret for times gone by when there were no motorways, traffic jams were almost non-existent and friendly police motorcyclists riding classic Nortons (without helmets) cheerfully let people driving vintage cars race each other along country lanes. Even in 1953, Henry Cornelius’ gentle comedy must have seemed pleasingly old-fashioned, concerned as it is with the antics of two obsessive enthusiasts on the annual London to Brighton classic car rally. The principal quartet could hardly be bettered: though John Gregson is something of a cold fish as Genevieve’s proud owner, the radiant warmth of Dinah Sheridan as his long-suffering wife more than compensates. Kenneth More is ideally cast in the role of boastful rival enthusiast and Kay Kendall has possibly the best comic moment of all when she astonishes everyone with her drunken trumpet playing.

Cornelius also directed Ealing’s Passport to Pimlico, so his sure eye for gently mocking and celebrating British eccentricities is never in doubt. The screenplay by (American writer) William Rose now seems like an elegy to a way of life long disappeared: the pivotal moment when Gregson stops to humour a passing old buffer about his love of classic cars comes from a vanished era of politeness before road rage; as does the priceless exchange between hotel owner Joyce Grenfell and her aged resident: "No one’s ever complained before", says the mystified Grenfell after Gregson and Sheridan moan about the facilities, "Are they Americans?" asks the old lady, unable to conceive that anyone British could say such things. Genevieve is both a wonderful period comedy and a nostalgic portrait of England the way it used to be.

On the DVD: the "Special Edition" version of Genevieve has a decent new documentary with reminiscences from Dinah Sheridan (still radiant), the director of photography and the film’s editor, who talk about the challenges of filming on location. Most treasurable of all, though, is legendary harmonica player Larry Adler, who remembers his distinctive score with much fondness and is not at all embittered by his Hollywood blacklisting, which meant he was denied an Academy Award nomination. There’s also a short piece on some of the locations used (which for economic reasons were mostly in the lanes around Pinewood studios), cast biographies and a gallery of stills. The 4:3 ratio colour picture looks pretty good for its age and the mono sound is adequate. --Mark Walker

4:3 Full Frame
English
English
Region 2
Mono English
Mono
A Profile Of Genevieve Documentary
Biographies
Stills Gallery
Interactive Menus

This fast-paced comedy was produced and directed by Henry Cornelius from a witty script by William Rose. Starring Dinah Sheridan, John Gregson, Kay Kendall and Kenneth More, Genevieve was a huge box office hit and also garnered Oscar nominations. A welcome addition to the Special Collector's Edition series, Genevieve is one of the best-loved British films of all time.

Genevieve follows the escapades of two competitors (obsessive Gregson and loud-mouthed More) in the famous annual London to Brighton Rally who, on their way home, wager on whose vintage vehicle will be the first to get back. Kendall, as an upper class fashion model with a penchant for tipple and trumpet playing, and the stylish and dependable Sheridan provide brilliant support as their long suffering lovers. The legendary comedienne Joyce Grenfell also makes a hilarious cameo.

Genevieve won Best British Film and Best Film in the 1954 British Academy Awards and won Best Foreign Film at the 1955 Golden Globes and received Academy Award nominations for William Rose's screenplay and Larry Adler's well-remembered harmonica score.

This last award carries an interesting piece of screen history. On general release in the US, the film credited Muir Mathieson (actually the Music Director for the production) as the composer, rather than Larry Adler; the deception continued on into the Oscar nominations as Adler, who also played harmonica on the very distinctive theme tune, was blacklisted at the time.

As well as a glistening new print of the film, the Special Collector's Edition also features "A Profile of Genevieve" on both formats. This new and exclusive 25-minute documentary provides insights into the making of the classic comedy -- the tiny budget, the innovative location filming, and the behind-the-scenes antics of the cast - and includes interviews with Dinah Sheridan, director of photography Christopher Challis and composer Larry Adler.

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Biographies, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Remastered, Scene Access, Special Edition, SYNOPSIS: The plot of the thoroughly captivating British comedy Genevieve can be summed up in a sentence: Two young couples participate in the Vintage Car Rally, a yearly race from London to Brighton. The title "character" is the 1904 Darracq auto owned by John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan. The couple's friendly rivals are Kenneth More and Kay Kendall, the latter graduating to stardom on the basis of this film. At first treating the race as a lark, the two couples become increasingly--and hilariously--competitive as they near the finishing line. Among the film's plethora of small pleasures are Joyce Grenfell as a wry hotel proprietress and Arthur Wontner as an elderly car fancier. Despite the many technical gaffes and continuity errors overlooked by director Henry Cornelius, Genevieve is a uniquely British delight from beginning to end, its charm enhanced by the uncredited harmonica score of American expatriate Larry Adler. The film was a moneymaker in every country that it played, and a multi-award winner in England and abroad.
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Genevieve (1953)