Kurt at 01:41, 8 February 2023

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	~~{{short description\|1959 film}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2016}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=June 2016}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	~~\| name = Alive and Kicking~~
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| image = Alive and Kicking (1959 film).jpg		\| image = Alive and Kicking (1959 film).jpg

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External links

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	*{{IMDb title\|0051346\|Alive and Kicking}}		*{{IMDb title\|0051346\|Alive and Kicking}}
	*{{allmovie\|83443\|Alive and Kicking}}		*{{allmovie\|83443\|Alive and Kicking}}

	~~{{Cyril Frankel}}~~

	[[Category:1959 films]]		[[Category:1959 films]]

Kurt at 18:04, 18 October 2022

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	\| name = Alive and Kicking		\| name = Alive and Kicking
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| image = Alive and Kicking ~~FilmPoster~~.~~jpeg~~		\| image = Alive and Kicking (1959 film).jpg
	\| director = [[Cyril Frankel]]		\| director = [[Cyril Frankel]]
	\| producer = [[Victor Skutezky]]		\| producer = [[Victor Skutezky]]

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-10-18T15:00:18Z

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← Older revision	Revision as of 10:00, 18 October 2022
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en>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */add Category:1950s British films

2022-09-03T17:54:04Z

External links: add Category:1950s British films

New page

{{short description|1959 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Alive and Kicking
| caption =
| image = Alive and Kicking FilmPoster.jpeg
| director = [[Cyril Frankel]]
| producer = [[Victor Skutezky]]
| writer = [[Denis Cannan]] William Dinnie William Murum
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on = 
| starring = [[Sybil Thorndike]] [[Kathleen Harrison]] [[Estelle Winwood]] [[Stanley Holloway]]
| music = [[Philip Green (composer)|Philip Green]]
| cinematography = [[Gilbert Taylor]]
| editing = [[Bernard Gribble]]
| studio = Diador
| distributor = [[Associated British Picture Corporation|Warner-Pathé Distributors]] (UK) [[Seven Arts Productions|Seven Arts]] (US)
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1959|||UK|1964|||US}}
| runtime = 94 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Alive and Kicking''''' is a 1959 British [[comedy film]] directed by [[Cyril Frankel]] and starring [[Sybil Thorndike]], [[Kathleen Harrison]], [[Estelle Winwood]] and [[Stanley Holloway]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a73f669|title=Alive and Kicking (1959)|website=BFI}}</ref> with [[Richard Harris]] making his film debut. Three women run away from a retirement home in order to avoid being separated. They eventually end up running a successful [[cottage industry]] [[sweater]] business on a remote island offshore of [[Ireland]] (although the film was shot in [[Scotland]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.reelstreets.com/index.php/reelstreets-films?filmcat=SCOTLAND |title=Films Listed by Area |access-date=3 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107055051/http://www.reelstreets.com/index.php/reelstreets-films?filmcat=SCOTLAND |archive-date=7 November 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1964, the film was released in the US, with the [[film trailer]] establishing a [[tie-in]] to Stanley Holloway's success in ''[[My Fair Lady (film)|My Fair Lady]]''.

==Plot==
Mrs Wilmot, Miss Baker and Miss Fife run away from the Sunset Home when they are notified that they will be split up, with two of them being sent off to different cities. They hide on a motorboat when they spot some policemen, but accidentally start the engine and reach the open sea before they run out of petrol. They are picked up by a Russian freighter, though none of the crew speak English. Not wanting to return with them to Murmansk, the ladies insist on being put ashore at the earliest opportunity. They end up on an Irish island, [[Long Island, County Cork|Inishfada]].

They find three run-down, seemingly abandoned cottages, but are soon disappointed when MacDonagh arrives and informs them that he has purchased them for his retirement. He mentions his heart trouble. A few minutes later, he succumbs and falls off a cliff into the sea. Dora suggests they claim to be his nieces, and Rosie and Mabel agree. They are delighted when MacDonagh's new furniture is delivered.

However, a joke MacDonagh had made to some local children make the residents believe he is married to all three women, and an outraged mob set out to drive away the immoral interlopers. When Dora Wilmot asks if they have come to see her "uncle", the situation is defused. The women invite the now-friendly locals in for some tea. A party breaks out, aided by two cases of MacDonogh's 12-year-old whiskey.

The women notice a finely knitted sweater worn by one of the men at the party. The next day, Dora purchases one and sends it her cousin, who has a dress shop in London. This results in an order for 300 more for £5 each. Dora organises matters, offering the local women [[£sd|£4 10s]] for each sweater, keeping the remaining 10 [[Shilling (British coin)|shillings]] for herself and her friends.

Then MacDonagh's solicitor arrives and demands to see his client. When they refuse to produce him, the solicitor goes for a policeman. Fortunately, MacDonagh is not dead; he was merely stranded on another, uninhabited island. He is found and brought back just in time. MacDonagh learns about his "nieces" and plays along when the policeman shows up. MacDonagh, it turns out, is from the island and returned home after many years to help his people. He is pleased to discover that the ladies have done that for him.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Sybil Thorndike]] as Dora
* [[Kathleen Harrison]] as Rosie
* [[Estelle Winwood]] as Mabel
* [[Stanley Holloway]] as MacDonagh
* [[Liam Redmond]] as Old Man
* [[Marjorie Rhodes]] as Old Woman
* [[Richard Harris]] as Lover
* [[Olive McFarland]] as Lover
* [[John Salew]] as Solicitor
* [[Eric Pohlmann]] as Soviet Captain
* [[Colin Gordon]] as Bird watcher 
* [[Joyce Carey]] as Matron
* [[Anita Sharp-Bolster]] as Postmistress (as Anita Sharp Bolster)
* [[Paul Farrell]] as Postman
* [[Patrick McAlinney]] as Policeman
* Raymond Manthorpe as Little Boy
* Tony Quinn as Villager
* Harry Hutchinson as Villager
* [[Brendan O'Dowda]] as Singer
* Joseph McNally as Singer
* [[Liz Fraser]] as June (uncredited)
* [[Totti Truman Taylor]] as Royal Personage (uncredited)
{{div col end}}

==Soundtrack==
* "Alive and Kicking", music by [[Philip Green]], lyrics by [[Michael Carr (composer)|Michael Carr]]
* "Liscannon Bay", music by Philip Green, lyrics by Michael Carr
* "[[Sobre las Olas]]" (uncredited), music by [[Juventino Rosas]], arranged by Philip Green
* "[[The Chop Waltz]]" (1877) (uncredited), music by [[Euphemia Allen]] (using the pseudonym Arthur De Lulli)
* "One I Truly Love", music by Philip Green, lyrics by Michael Carr
* "[[Drunken Sailor|What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor]]" (uncredited), traditional song sung by Sybil Thorndike, Estelle Winwood and Kathleen Harrison in the speedboat
* "[[The Farmer in the Dell]]" (uncredited), traditional song sung by the children

==Critical reception==
[[Allmovie]] called it a "charming comedy";<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/alive-and-kicking-v83443|title=Alive and Kicking (1958) - Cyril Frankel | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie|via=www.allmovie.com}}</ref> while ''[[TV Guide]]'' rated the film 3/5 stars, writing "this delightfully zany British comedy gets added spark from the three main actresses and the ever-precocious Holloway";<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/alive-and-kicking/review/111324|title=Alive And Kicking | TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com}}</ref> and the ''[[Radio Times]]'' also gave the film 3/5 stars, calling the three actresses "a joy to behold", and concluding "director Cyril Frankel's engaging piece of Irish whimsy is slight but diverting."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/hq9wf9/alive-and-kicking/|title=Alive and Kicking – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online|website=Radio Times}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0051346|Alive and Kicking}}
*{{allmovie|83443|Alive and Kicking}}

{{Cyril Frankel}}

[[Category:1959 films]]
[[Category:1959 comedy films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:Films shot at Associated British Studios]]
[[Category:Films directed by Cyril Frankel]]
[[Category:Films set in Ireland]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s British films]]

Alive and Kicking (1959 film) - Revision history

Kurt at 01:41, 8 February 2023

Kurt: /* External links */

Kurt at 18:04, 18 October 2022

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */add Category:1950s British films