Oct 29, 2019 29 october 2019 by esther gill coming to the keep this saturday, 2 november, is a showing of genevieve, the classic 1953 british comedy featuring the eponymous car and its travails in the london to brighton veteran car run. Genevieve is a delightful british comedy from 1953, winner of both the bafta. Its roadmovie comedy, bristling sexual tension, and splendid performances from. Along the way, some old jealousies are kindled to the point where the two men. This is the car that played the lead in the 1953 film genevieve set against the background of the london to brighton run.
With great comic performances, and terrific colour photography of 1950s london, genevieve pokes fun at the struggles between the sexes in 1950s london. Genevieve is a 1953 british comedy film produced and directed by henry cornelius and written. Alan mckim john gregson drives his beloved 1904 automobile, named genevieve. I cannot remember whether it was ambrose or alans vintage car, the point is the location, in 1953, is near where i used to live, to be precise batchworth heath, northwood, middlesex on the rickmansworth road, opposite the greene man pub, white hill. The plot of the thoroughly captivating british comedy genevieve can be summed up in a sentence. Two old chums, alan mckim john gregson drives his beloved 1904 automobile, named genevieve, while ambrose claverhouse kenneth more takes his vintage spyker car, decide to have a friendly. For the seven people who might not have heard of the 1953 film genevieve, its a comedy centred around the annual london to. Chris points out that stanwell place itself appeared in went the day well capture 39. Typical of the whimsy is the title which refers not to one of the female characters, but one of the cars, a 1904 frenchmade darracq, driven by alan and wendy mckim john gregson and dinah. The kiwi connection to the worlds most famous car, genevieve. With your info i found some other pictures see car pages. John gregson stars as a stiffshirted lawyer, who gets baited by his boisterous friend kenneth more to wager a bet on. Why the film genevieve is so important to the classic. Genevieve is one of those films that i can remember being televised years ago.
Antony blair advises that this is the a355 collinswood road to the west of hedgerley, about 12 mile from the former one pin public house, heading south. Henry cornelius wanted to use english cars for a movie he was directing, but nobody would lend him any. His enthusiasm is not shared by his wife, wendy, but she is prepared to accompany him on the annual london to brighton race. Sunbar wrote it should be fairly easy to add or replace pictures with captures from the movie in the future. Coming from a slightly carobsessed family this is a film which has achieved near legendary status and which is held in an. His enthusiasm is not shared by his wife, wendy, but she is prepared to accompany him on. The mckims car was actually named annie, but it was changed to genevieve after the film, and has participated in several londonbrighton runs.
A fun comedy about the london to brighton vintage car rally. It ought to be illegal to let genevieve on the streets two friends driving in the london to brighton vintage car rally bet on which of them will be the first to arrive back home. The title character is the 1904 darracq auto owned by. In the film this 1904 darracq is the hobby of alan mckim, a barrister played by the actor john gregson. I tried to see if i could catch the water flowing properly across the road, but no luck so far. It also, perhaps surprisingly for something so quintessentially english, earned two oscar nominations, for william roses deft screenplay and muir mathesons music direction. The 1905 darracq genevieve, star of the 1953 film of that name, is currently being restored in australia but not to its original 1905 form. Apr 20, 2016 sensing perhaps that genevieve was responsible for their continuing success, the veteran car club finally relented regarding the two cars eligibility, and genevieve and the spyker were grandfathered in. The officers take off after genevieve and alan brings the car to a halt. And the following day, the car herself will be motoring down to brighton for the 2019 run. Further on towards brighton, genevieve s steering fails, sending the car all over the road. The film is shown regularly on uk tv, particularly at holiday times. Two friendly rivals engage in a race on the way back from the brighton veteran car rally.
Among the films plethora of small pleasures are joyce grenfell as a wry hotel. Directed by 1 writing credits 1 cast 26 produced by 2 music by. Reevess friend frank reese lent his dutchbuilt spyker for kenneth more to pilot. The car is owned by australian businessman paul terry, who intends it to be the centerpiece of a classic car and art gallery complex he is building in the western australia town of albany.
Genevieve 1953 its time for the annual london to brighton antique car rally, and alan mckim and ambrose claverhouse are not going to let their friendship stop them from trying to humiliate each other. But as he tunes up his pride and joy, ambrose claverhouse kenneth more, an old friend and his girlfriend rosalind kay kendall, arrives in his veteran car. Why the film genevieve is so important to the classic car. When the film was nominated for a best score oscar, musical director muir mathieson received the nomination credit. For the past 20 years, genevieve has competed regularly in the race she first ran 67 years ago, along with the spyker, and they remain the.
The title character is the 1904 darracq auto owned by john gregson and dinah sheridan. Genevieve is a 1953 british comedy film produced and directed by henry cornelius and written by william rose. Given its storyline and pedigree it is very easy to understand why. Two veteran cars and their crews participating in the annual london to brighton veteran car run. Two friends driving in the london to brighton vintage car rally bet on which of them will be the first to arrive back home. Its time for the annual london to brighton antique car rally, and alan mckim and ambrose claverhouse are not going to let their friendship stop them from trying to humiliate each other.
Released 1953, genevieve stars dinah sheridan, john gregson, kay kendall, kenneth more the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 26 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. Its road movie comedy, bristling sexual tension, and splendid performances from. Since then it has always stood out in my mind as one of the more memorable and enjoyable films from the 50s and 60s so common on tv at that time. And the following day, the car herself will be motoring down to brighton for the 2019. Alan mckim john gregson drives his beloved 1904 automobile, named genevieve, while ambrose claverhouse. Why the film genevieve is so important to the classic car movement. Chris makin advises that this is on the b378 road, stanwell.
Its time for the annual london to brighton antique car rally, and alan mckim and. Genevieve is a uniquely british delight from beginning to end, its charm enhanced by the uncredited harmonica score of american expatriate larry adler. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto int. Coming to the keep this saturday, 2 november, is a showing of genevieve, the classic 1953 british comedy featuring the eponymous car and its travails in the london to brighton veteran car run. Its time for the annual london to brighton antique car rally, and alan mckim and ambrose. A wonderful british comedy about two couples, classic car enthusiasts, who participate in the annual londontobrighton rally. To read about the production of genevieve from the perspective of the veteran car club.
As seen in genevieve 1953 the ford today is a sorry sight and has a makeshift bridge, which seems to have been vandalized. Similarly, in the film the heath is more or less an open space, whereas today probably because of the volume of traffic using the a404 there. Genevieve is a 1953 film starring dinah sheridan, john gregson, kay kendall. Nov 06, 2017 t o mark the 2017 london to brighton veteran car run, there can be one choice of viewing, a film that is greater than even the fast lady or the wrong arm of the law. Stars dinah sheridan, john gregson, kay kendall, kenneth more, geoffrey keen and others. For the seven people who might not have heard of the 1953 film genevieve, its a comedy centred around the annual london to brighton veteran car run.
Cornelius competently captures the spirit of the pranks committed by the veteran car enthusiasts along with some great staging of the car rally itself. Why the film genevieve is so important to the classic car movement save genevieve, a 1904 darracq 1012 type o roadster, at the finish of the 120th london to brighton veteran car run in 2016. The car enters a garage which is either 8 or 10 rutland mews s. A simply delightful romp, and easily one of the bestloved and most inventive british comedies of the post war era, which follows the exploits and misfortunes of two highly competitive friends, as they race against each other in the famous london to brighton car rally. The first thing that comes to mind is the very memorable theme tune written and performed by the late, great larry adler. Oct 27, 2011 a simply delightful romp, and easily one of the bestloved and most inventive british comedies of the post war era, which follows the exploits and misfortunes of two highly competitive friends, as. Henry corneliuss genevieve, set during the annual london to brighton vintage car rally, is an english classic. Kenneth more in genevieve 1953 kay kendall in genevieve 1953 dinah. Two young couples participate in the vintage car rally, a yearly race from london to brighton.
Genevieve 1953 video detective movie trailers, game. Two couples enter their veteran cars one of them a 1904 darracq named genevieve in the london to brighton car race in this classic, irresistible comedy. Good old film centered around vintage cars but filmed in the 1950s so older. Genevieve is a film directed by henry cornelius with dinah sheridan, john gregson, kay kendall, kenneth more, year. The film was eventually produced by rank, but with a budget so meagre that most of. One of the most beloved british comedies of all time, genevieve 1953 is a whimsical tale of two couples who drive the londontobrighton vintage car rally, and their adventures along the way. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. In the background it shows the gates to the driveway of stanwell place, now demolished.
Coming to the keep this saturday, 2 november, is a showing of genevieve, the classic 1953 british comedy featuring the eponymous car and its. Then reeves offered annie, renamed genevieve for the film, and driven by john gregson, who had to be taught to drive the car by costar dinah sheridan. Charles crichton, 1953, which also starred john gregson, genevieve is in its own. In this upbeat british comedy, two friends enter an antique car rally.
The longer they spend on the road, the more competitive they become, devising cunning ways of foiling each other in this classic comedy. John gregson and kenneth more star in this everpopular comedy about two vintage car enthusiasts racing on the london to brighton rally. It is a story of two antique car buffs john gregson and kenneth more who through circumstance and misadventure end up challenging each other to a grudgematch race from brighton to london. John gregson stars as a stiffshirted lawyer, who gets baited by his boisterous friend kenneth more to wager a bet on who. This is the darracq that played the lead in the 1953 film genevieve set against the background of the london to brighton run. Friends alan and ambrose both take part and once it is over, an impetuous moment leads to a bet to race each other home. Everytime i see this film, im 57 now, i smile at the scene where one of the old crocks breaks down in the country on its way to brighton. The delightful joyce grenfell genevieve extract 1953 duration. Alan mckim john gregson drives his beloved 1904 automobile, named genevieve, while ambrose claverhouse kenneth more takes his vintage spyker car.
With great comic performances, and terrific colour photography of 1950s london, genevieve pokes. I first saw the film genevieve around 1969 1970 at home in glorious black and white on black and white tv. Cheerful light comedy set against the london to brighton car rally. Along the way, some old jealousies are kindled to the point where the two men decide to have a friendly wager on who will be the first back to london. The mckims car was actually named annie, but it was changed to genevieve after the film, and has participated in several. Henry cornelius, 1953 as the best ealing comedy that never was. Alan mckim is the proud owner of genevieve, a vintage car.
Genevieve is a delightful british comedy from 1953, winner of both the bafta british oscars best british film and the golden globe best foreign film awards. Genevieve was released on may 28 1953 and there are countless reasons why it remains so unmissable 64 years later. The brakes on genevieve fail, and the car rolls a few yards onto westminster bridge, thus winning the bet. The film was a moneymaker in every country that it played, and a multiaward winner in england and abroad.
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