The Perfect Gentleman (film)

The Perfect Gentleman (also known by the alternative title The Imperfect Lady) is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Frank Morgan, Cicely Courtneidge and Heather Angel. It was based on a play by Edward Childs Carpenter (which was based on a story by Cosmo Hamilton). The screenplay concerns the father of a British country vicar, who almost brings scandal on the family when he becomes entangled with an actress.

The Perfect Gentleman
Film poster
Directed byTim Whelan
Written byEdward Childs Carpenter
Lew Lipton
Based onthe unproduced play, The Perfect Gentleman
by Edward Childs Carpenter
Produced byHarry Rapf
StarringFrank Morgan
Cicely Courtneidge
CinematographyCharles G. Clarke
Edited byGeorge Boemler
Music byWilliam Axt
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release date
  • November 22, 1935 (1935-11-22)[1]
Running time
73 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Cast

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Critical reception

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Writing for The Spectator in 1936, Graham Greene gave the film a poor review, summarizing his review as "to be avoided at any cost". Noting that Cicely Courtneidge had come from a theatrical background and that her acting skills were adequate for the stage, Greene described her aspect in this film as "fling[ing] her facial contortions to the back of the gallery", and expressed sorrow that so many of the stage's most capable comedians were today "going the Pagliacci way". Greene took particular dislike of the scene where Courtneidge played the part of a young soldier.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Perfect Gentleman: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  2. ^ Greene, Graham (7 February 1936). "Dr Socrates/The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo/The Imperfect Lady". The Spectator. (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. p. 50. ISBN 0192812866.)
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