On Approval (1944 film)
| On Approval | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Clive Brook |
| Produced by | Clive Brook Sydney Box (executive producer) |
| Written by | Clive Brook (adaptation) Terence Young |
| Based on | the 1926 play On Approval by Frederick Lonsdale |
| Starring |
Beatrice Lillie Clive Brook Googie Withers Roland Culver |
| Narrated by | E. V. H. Emmett |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | C. Friese-Greene |
| Edited by | Fergus McDonell |
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Release date
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Running time
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80 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
On Approval is a 1944 British romantic comedy film, produced, directed and co-written by Clive Brook. Brook also starred, with Beatrice Lillie, Googie Withers and Roland Culver. It is the second film adaptation of the play On Approval by Frederick Lonsdale, the first being the 1930 film of the same name. In this version, the setting was moved from the 20th century back to the late Victorian period.
George, 10th Duke of Bristol, and his friend Richard Halton are poverty-stricken members of the British upper class, George having squandered his money on women (as he tells the film's narrator). They attend a party at George's own London home, let to the young, wealthy and attractive American Helen Hale. At the soiree, George is rude to Maria Wislack, a rich widow with whom he is acquainted. Richard is genuinely in love with Maria, but will not tell her so due to his poverty. Meanwhile, George is oblivious to the fact that Helen is in love with him, and finds the thought of marriage distasteful. Maria grows tired of waiting for Richard to make his feelings known and proposes that they spend a month together as man and wife in Scotland "on approval" to see how they get along (although he will have to sleep in a hotel). George, much to their mutual discomfort, invites himself along. They are soon joined by Helen.
The unexpected arrival of additional - and unmarried - guests disturbs Mrs McCosh, Maria's housekeeper, and she soon departs, taking with her all of the household servants. The two couples are left to fend for themselves. Richard does his best to please the demanding Maria, though Helen privately advises him to tell her to "go to hell". George, in the meantime, loafs and does nothing to help out.
At the end of three weeks, Maria tells Richard that she is willing to marry him and even to settle £5000 a year on him, but when he discovers that what he had thought was a test of his patience turns out to be the way she behaves normally, he turns her down. At the same time, George decides he loves Helen and asks her to marry him. She would have been happy to accept his proposal three weeks before, but after becoming better acquainted with him, she gently turns him down. She eventually begins having second thoughts, however, and she and Richard set about making the others jealous and leave the island together for the hotel on the mainland. As it turns out, George and Maria have the same idea.
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