The Reluctant Widow (film)

The Reluctant Widow
The Reluctant Widow
Directed by	Bernard Knowles
Written by	Basil Boothroyd (as J.B. Boothroyd); Gordon Wellesley; Georgette Heyer (novel);
Produced by	Gordon Wellesley
Starring	Jean Kent; Guy Rolfe;
Cinematography	Jack Hildyard
Edited by	John D. Guthridge
Music by	Allan Gray
Production; company	Two Cities Films
Distributed by	General Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	1 May 1950 (UK);
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Reluctant Widow is a 1950 British historical drama film directed by Bernard Knowles and starring Jean Kent, Guy Rolfe, Paul Dupuis and Lana Morris.^[1] It is based on the 1946 novel The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer, with the screenplay written by Gordon Wellesley and others. The screenplay concerns a governess who marries a British aristocrat, and inherits his country house when he dies. The ongoing Napoleonic Wars see her become embroiled with a spy ring.^[2]

It was shot at Denham Studios. The film's art direction was by Carmen Dillon while the costumes were designed by Beatrice Dawson.

Cast

Jean Kent as Helena
Guy Rolfe as Lord Carlyon
Paul Dupuis as Lord Nivelle
Lana Morris as Becky
Kathleen Byron as Mme. Annette de Chevreaux
Scott Forbes as Francois Cheviot
Anthony Tancred as Nicky
Peter Hammond as Eustace Cheviot
Jean Cadell as Mrs. Barrows
Andrew Cruickshank as Lord Bedlington
George Thorpe as Colonel Strong
Ralph Truman as Scowler
James Carney as Major Forbes
Allan Jeayes as Colonel
Hector MacGregor as Sir Malcolm Torrens
Noel Howlett as The Vicar

Critical reception

Bosley Crowther wrote in The New York Times, "except for the rather fine surroundings and some nice eighteenth century costumes, there is no more in The Reluctant Widow than a genteel invitation to doze";^[3] while Robin Karney in the Radio Times found, "a good-looking but rather muddled and unsatisfactory adaptation of a novel by Georgette Heyer, which entertains in fits and starts."^[4]