Absolutely Fantastic

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

This movie is one of the wittiest and best sophisticated comedies every written – and ever acted. "Laughter in Paradise" ranks up there with a handful of great "quiet" comedies, such as "It Happened One Night." That 1934 film was the first and only comedy, and one of only three movies to win the big five Academy Awards – for best picture, director, screenplay, actor and actress. This movie probably didn't get much attention in 1951 Hollywood because it is a British film. But it's as good or better than the 1934 Oscar winner.These "quiet" films are not comedies of antics and hijinks that elicit rollicking laughter. Instead, they have clever and witty dialog with scenes in which the humor is as much in the situation and the performances of the actors. Unlike laugh fests, these films evoke chuckles, grins, knowing nods, smiles and other pleasant responses (even an occasional howl or burst of laughter). The screenplay for "Laughter in Paradise" is outstanding. The story is very clever and original. The plot is about four relatives – all Russells, inheriting an estate. But, hidden within are four separate stories of people changing, growing and finding new meaning in life – and new lives. It's all neatly wrapped in a mantle of ingenious comedy. The success of the comedy depends almost as much on the performances of the players. All of the cast excel in their roles. The nuances, insinuations and intimations are performed realistically and with whimsy. And, we viewers revel in the humor of each scene and situation. Top billing in the film goes to Alastair Sim as Deniston Russell. Without a doubt, Sim is one of the best British comedy actors of the 20th century. His character has some of the wittiest dialog exchanges, and some of the funniest situations. Aiding and abetting him in the comedy is Joyce Grenfell who plays Elizabeth Robson, aka "Muffy" to whom Deniston has been engaged for ten years. A.E. Matthews plays her father with aplomb – Sir Charles Robson. Very close to Sims in his role are George Cole as Herbert and Guy Middleton as Simon. Fay Compton is superb as Agnes. Her role is as much serious as comedic, but she shares some wonderful comedy situations with John Laurie who plays Gordon Webb. Other supporting actors are excellent in their roles. Ronald Adam plays the nasty and mean- mannered bank manager, Mr. Wagstaff. Or, as Herbert says, "Mr. Wag-stoff," who refers to Herbert as a bank "clark." There's more than a little exaggeration with some English accents. Eleanor Summerfield plays Sheila Wilcott, the very competent and admiring secretary to Deniston. Mackenzie Ward is Benson, the loyal and clever butler to Simon. Beatrice Campbell is Lucille Grayson, all too ready to be snared by Simon. Several small parts are very good – a couple of police sergeants and constables, Gordon Webb's daughter Joan, the private detective Roger Godfrey and others. One other notable mention is Audrey Hepburn as a cigarette girl. The beginning film credits even draw attention to her: "And introducing Audrey Hepburn." It was just her second film that came out just a month after her debut in a lesser movie, "One Wild Oat."This is a great film and one that should be in every serious movie collector's library. It should be on any list of the funniest movies of all time. The musical score is excellent. The direction and all quality aspects are superb. And there are some scenes with little or no dialog that will have one chuckling if not laughing out loud. Sims has great scenes trying to get caught shoplifting and later in court. Here are some sample lines from the film. The humor of these is magnified greatly by the visuals.Agnes, "It should not be necessary for people to die in order to have their photograph dusted."Herbert, "Oh, no sir. She's not a lady. She's my landlady."Dictating an opening scene of a new crime novel to Sheila, Deniston says, "I walked over and slugged her in the kisser… She certainly was a swell tomato." Sheila (Miss Wilcott), "Not many people can get a book published at all, and look at you. Scores of them and under 15 different names."Elizabeth, to Deniston, "You promised to take me out tonight, and I've had a bath especially."Herbert, "It's impossible. Not even a real gangster would dare to point a gun at Mr. Wag-stoff. Or point anything at Mr. Wag-stoff."Deniston, to Simon, "I couldn't possibly burgle somebody I didn't know."Simon, after stopping to help a stranded motorist (Lucille), "Do you know anything about cars?" Lucille, "Not a thing." Simon, "Fine!" He looks under the hood and turns to Lucille, "Well, if you ask me, circumventer on the ubiquitous praxtile…" Lucille, "What?" Simon, "… seems to be blown."Herbert, "Well, sometimes worms change their spots."Deniston, "Elizabeth, you have no idea what it cost me to be rude to your father. Or, for that matter, what it would have cost me if I hadn't been."

This classic of comedy and drama stars Alastair Sim, the peerless character comedian, and Fay Compton, a versatile stage actor of considerable range. The Laughter coming from Paradise emanates from a recently deceased eccentric (madcap Hugh Griffith) who follows the efforts of his four competitive heirs, for all of whom he has set different but embarrassing tasks to perform to qualify for an inheritance. Alastair Sim and Fay Compton have the choicer roles. Alastair Sim's ludicrous dilemma leads into a bravura comic performance. His bewildered and peeved fiancée is played by the exceptional Joyce Grenfell. Fay Compton's unsympathetic character becomes an occasion for exquisite acting in this film. Young George Cole, one of Mr & Mrs Sim's real-life protégés, handled comedy nearly as deftly as the master, and Cole is still appearing in films 75 years after his celluloid debut. Cole's role as a sincere but insecure lad is the polar opposite of sly and suave Guy Middleton, the fourth of a quartet of prospective heirs. Kudos to supporting players Ernest Thesiger and Eleanor Summerfield. Audrey Hepburn made her English-language movie debut in this film as a cigarette girl in a supper club, and Anthony Steel, on the brink of becoming a star hunk, had a larger and romantic role. Laugher in Paradise defies genre. It offers character studies, by turn hilarious and poignant. An unqualified 10 from this fan

What a great British comedy. First of all it was cool to see Fay Compton from "The Hauting" and "Orson Welles' Otello" again. The script is original and very funny in a lighthearted and intelligent way and the actors are all just great. I liked the writer and his funny secretary best. His spouse was really funny, too and her character made me wonder what Hollywood would make out of it in a contemporary comedy: I guess they would turn her character into "a lesbian", you know, one of their silly clichés. This movie is so much better than those dumb primitive comedies Hollywood treats its viewers to! See it if you have the chance.

This has got to be a classic of Ealing comedies.Alistair Sim is at his best, the scene with the window (Fact-he ad-libbed most of the scene too)is proof that actors like him are few in between.I saw this when I was a nipper as my father said that he enjoyed it when it first came out and even though I've seen it quiet a few times it's still fresh and amusing. Watch it and anything else with Mr Sims, this is British at it's best.