The Card (1952 film)

The Card
A poster bearing the film's American title: The Promoter
Directed by	Ronald Neame
Produced by	John Bryan Earl St. John (exec.) Bob McNaught (assoc.)
Written by	Arnold Bennett (novel) Eric Ambler
Starring	Alec Guinness Petula Clark Valerie Hobson Glynis Johns
Music by	William Alwyn
Cinematography	Oswald Morris
Edited by	Clive Donner
Release date	25 February 1952
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	£163,000

The Card is a black-and-white film version of the novel by Arnold Bennett. Entitled The Promoter for its American audience, it was adapted by Eric Ambler and directed by Ronald Neame. It was released in 1952. It starred Alec Guinness as Denry Machin, Petula Clark as Nellie Cotterill, Valerie Hobson as the Countess, and Glynis Johns as Ruth Earp. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound.

It is mainly faithful to the novel, omitting some minor incidents.

The film follows the adventures and misadventures of Edward Henry (Denry) Machin, an ambitious young man from a poor background.

Denry cheats at an examination in order to qualify for entry to a 'school for the sons of gentlemen'. At the age of 16, he becomes a junior clerk to Mr. Duncalf, the town clerk and a solicitor. He meets the charming and socially well-connected Countess of Chell, a client of Duncalf's, and is given the job of sending out invitations to a grand municipal ball. He 'invites' himself, and wins a five-pound bet that he will dance with the Countess. This earns him the reputation of a "card" (a "character", someone able to set tongues wagging) – a reputation he is determined to cement. But the next day, Duncalf angrily sacks Denry.

Denry offers his services as a rent collector to a dissatisfied former client of Duncalf's, Mrs Codleyn. His reputation as an efficient and no-nonsense collector brings the business of Mr Calvert. But Denry quickly realises that he can make more money by advancing loans, at a highly profitable interest rate, to the many tenants who are in arrears. He also discovers that Ruth Earp, the dancing teacher who is attracted to Denry, is herself heavily in debt. Despite this, he and Ruth become engaged.