Lady Godiva Rides Again

Dennis Price - Simon Abott
John McCallum - Larry Burns
Stanley Holloway - Mr. Clark
Pauline Stroud - Marjorie Clark
Gladys Henson - Mrs. Clark
Bernadette O'Farrell - Janie
George Cole - Johnny
Diana Dors - Dolores August
Eddie Byrne - Eddie Mooney
Kay Kendall - Sylvia
Renee Houston - Beattie
Dora Bryan - Lady in charge of publicity
Sid James - Lew Beeson
Richard Wattis - Otto Mann
Michael Ripper - Joe the stage manager
Joan Collins - Beauty Queen Contestant
Ruth Ellis - Beauty Queen Contestant
Trevor Howard - Guest at theatre
Alastair Sim - Hawtrey Murington
Jimmy Young - Singer at dance

Not as jovial as the title might have you believe, this mundane satire trades the usual Launder and Gilliat light touch for a dark and depressing depiction about the seedy side of post-war showbusiness. The cast is mostly forgettable but for Alastair Sim's cameo as a world-weary producer and Dennis Price as a lascivious film star.

Set in a dreary provincial town, waitress Marjorie Clark (Pauline Stroud), enters a local Lady Godiva contest against the wishes of uptight boyfriend Johnny (George Cole), and unexpectedly wins. Despite her father Tom (Stanley Holloway) disapproving and outrage in the national press from moral groups like the Women’s Institute, Marge duly takes her place in the town pageant as Lady Godiva. This brings Marge to the attention of Eddie Mooney, exploitation manager of Fascination soap, offering her the chance to enter the Miss Fascination national beauty contest in Westbourne; with carries with it a first prize of £1,000, a mink coat, and a three-month film contract.

Unbeknown to the rest, the competition is rigged in favour of Dolores August (Diana Dors), and due to a mix-up Margie is crowned Miss Fascination 1951. She thinks she is on the way to fame and stardom with tuition at a film charm school, however she slowly sinks lower and lower until the only offer is burlesque with a travelling French review. She is about to have to perform in a nude show as Lady Godiva when she is rescued by an Australian admirer.