Laughter in Paradise (1951) *solved*

[Loui]

It's a black and white film (I think)



An uncle (Henry?) makes a will which is rather unusual. His reletives think he is a mad eccentric. Think he asks them all to do certain things to fulfill will. Think someone falls off a clock face at some point. That's all I can remember as I was very young when I watched it!

[DB7]

Laughter in Paradise with Alastair Sim and George Cole.

[Loui]

Excellent thanks! :)

[julian_craster]

This film was re-made in 1970 as SOME WILL, SOME WON'T starring Ronnie Corbett Thora Hird and Dennis Price

[dylan]

Its a variation on the oft-filmed Brewster's Millions.



http://www.imdb.com/keyword/brewster%27s-millions/



D.

[Michael21stCentury]

The film I am trying to remember is a comedy, probably from the early 60s. The premise is that an old fellow dies and the conditon of his will is that, in order to inherit, each person must take actions foreign to his or her nature. He leaves instructions to that effect on film.



For example, one extremely shy person is secretly a writer of crime novels and he must commit a crime. I believe he throws a brick through a window and in the end marries his secretary. Another is a wealthy blond playboy and he must get married without mentioning the inheritance, which he does eventually, to his butler's daughter.



This playboy was in another lightweight comedy, playing the part of a veterinarian who cares for his attractive neighbor's monkey. I would also like to know the name of that film and the actor.



Thanks.

[Nick Dando]

Laughter in Paradise for the first question. The playboy/cad is played by Guy Middleton.



Laughter in Paradise (1951)



Nick

[smudge]

Remade in the 1970s as SOME WILL, SOME WON'T, starring Ronnie Corbett...



SMUDGE

[Michael21stCentury]

Thanks so much.



It was driving me crazy and Internet searches were turning up nothing. Yesterday, after I joined this site, I went searching through the old posts and eventually found a reference to "Some Will, Some Won't". It's not available through the local video store or through NetFlix, but it has been transferred to DVD, so I'm sure I'll find it for a good price eventually. I don't understand why virtually no one specializes in renting or selling British comedy or cataloging it as a separate genre.



The suave character was Leslie Phillips, but I can't find the film I mentioned earlier where he costars with a monkey. Perhaps as an adult I wouldn't enjoy it, except for that lovely girl wearing just pajama tops. Have you all seen "Laughter in Paradise"? When I was young, I thought "Some Will..." was a fine film, but "Laughter..." generally seems to have much better ratings from the critics and I haven't seen it.



Thanks again.

[Steve Crook]

name='Michael21stCentury']Thanks so much.



It was driving me crazy and Internet searches were turning up nothing. Yesterday, after I joined this site, I went searching through the old posts and eventually found a reference to "Some Will, Some Won't". It's not available through the local video store or through NetFlix, but it has been transferred to DVD, so I'm sure I'll find it for a good price eventually. I don't understand why virtually no one specializes in renting or selling British comedy or cataloging it as a separate genre.



The suave character was Leslie Phillips, but I can't find the film I mentioned earlier where he costars with a monkey. Perhaps as an adult I wouldn't enjoy it, except for that lovely girl wearing just pajama tops. Have you all seen "Laughter in Paradise"? When I was young, I thought "Some Will..." was a fine film, but "Laughter..." generally seems to have much better ratings from the critics and I haven't seen it.



Thanks again.

That's a shame. While Laughter in Paradise might have its faults, it does have such greats as Alastair Sim (the writer who must go to jail) and Joyce Grenfell as his fiancee. The scenes with Sim where he's trying to get arrested are just wonderful. How many people could throw a brick at a window and then catch it before it hits the window?



In Laughter in Paradise, the suave character is played by Guy Middleton. Other main characters are played by George Cole, Ernest Thesiger, Fay Compton, Hugh Griffith, A.E. Matthews & John Laurie. With an early cameo from Audrey Hepburn as a cigarette girl in a nightclub.



Certainly one that should be on the "must see" list.



It's been released on video in the UK in the past but appears to be out of print now. But that does mean that second hand copies might well appear on eBay - if you can play PAL format video tapes.



Steve

[BristolUK]

I could have sworn Lionel Jeffries was in a movie with this plot, but he doesn't seem to be in the cast.

[D Cairns]

The chimp film may be IN THE DOGHOUSE In the Doghouse (1961)

Though I don't know why it isn't called IN THE MONKEY HOUSE.