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	\| name = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom		\| name = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
	\| image = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom.jpg		\| image = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom.jpg
	\| caption = ~~Videotape cover~~		\| caption =
	\| director = [[Joseph McGrath (film director)\|Joseph McGrath]]		\| director = [[Joseph McGrath (film director)\|Joseph McGrath]]
	\| writer = [[Alec Coppel]]<br>[[Denis Norden]]<br>Based on a short story by [[Josef Shaftel]]		\| writer = [[Alec Coppel]]<br>[[Denis Norden]]<br>Based on a short story by [[Josef Shaftel]]

Kurt at 22:34, 24 January 2023

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	{{short description\|1968 film by Joseph McGrath}}		{{short description\|1968 film by Joseph McGrath}}
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2016}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=June 2016}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom		\| name = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
	\| image = ~~MrsBlossom~~.jpg		\| image = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom.jpg
	\| caption = Videotape cover		\| caption = Videotape cover
	\| director = [[Joseph McGrath (film director)\|Joseph McGrath]]		\| director = [[Joseph McGrath (film director)\|Joseph McGrath]]
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	*{{IMDb title\|id=0062739\|title=The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom }}		*{{IMDb title\|id=0062739\|title=The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom }}
	*{{Rotten Tomatoes\|the_bliss_of_mrs_blossom}}		*{{Rotten Tomatoes\|the_bliss_of_mrs_blossom}}

	~~{{Alec Coppel}}~~
	~~{{Joseph McGrath (director)}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, The}}

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{{short description|1968 film by Joseph McGrath}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
| image = MrsBlossom.jpg
| caption = Videotape cover
| director = [[Joseph McGrath (film director)|Joseph McGrath]]
| writer = [[Alec Coppel]]<br>[[Denis Norden]]<br>Based on a short story by [[Josef Shaftel]]
| producer = Josef Shaftel
| starring = [[Shirley MacLaine]]<br>[[Richard Attenborough]]<br>[[James Booth]]
| narrator =
| cinematography = [[Geoffrey Unsworth]]
| editing = Ralph Sheldon
| music = [[Riz Ortolani]]
| distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1968|9|11|US|1968|11|21|UK}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom''''' is a 1968 British [[comedy film]] directed by [[Joseph McGrath (film director)|Joseph McGrath]]. The screenplay by [[Alec Coppel]] and [[Denis Norden]] was adapted from a play by Coppel that was based on a [[short story]] by [[Josef Shaftel]], who served as the film's producer.

==Plot==
Robert Blossom is a [[brassiere]] manufacturer and [[workaholic]]. When his wife Harriet's sewing machine breaks, he sends his bumbling employee Ambrose Tuttle to repair it. Mrs. Blossom seduces Ambrose, then hides him in the [[attic]], instructing him to sneak out in the middle of the night. However, Ambrose is enchanted by Harriet and decides to settle in to serve as her secret paramour. When Ambrose is reported missing, Det. Sgt. Dylan from [[Scotland Yard]] is assigned to the case, one he doggedly pursues for years. The mysterious noises Robert frequently hears overhead finally lead to his nervous breakdown, but Ambrose saves the day by passing along stock tips that turn his employer into a millionaire. The grateful Mr. Blossom, announcing his intention to devote himself to music, not only grants Harriet a divorce so Ambrose to remain with his wife, but also presents the couple with his factory as a wedding present.

Some time later, Ambrose, soberly dressed for the office, has breakfast with Harriet and leaves her for a day of business. Harriet stamps on the floor, and Robert ascends from the basement, dressed in a mod outfit reminiscent of a rockstar. They embrace.

==Principal cast==
*[[Shirley MacLaine]] as Harriet Blossom
*[[Richard Attenborough]] as Robert Blossom
*[[James Booth]] as Ambrose Tuttle
*[[Freddie Jones]] as Det. Sgt. Dylan
*[[Bob Monkhouse]] as Dr. Taylor
*[[Patricia Routledge]] as Miss Reece
*[[Willie Rushton]] as Dylan's Assistant
*[[Sheila Steafel]] as Pet Shop Proprietress

==Premise==
The film is loosely based on the real-life story of [[Walburga Oesterreich]], who kept her lover Otto Sanhuber in the attic for a decade beginning in 1912. The real story does not have the happy ending of the film.

==Production notes==
Joseph Shaftel said the script was based on a story of his, which in turn was based on a true story.<ref>{{Cite news|title='Sister George' Preens for the Movies: More About Movie Matters|author=A. H. WEILER. |date=Jan 1, 1967|work=The New York Times|page=63}}</ref>

Shirley MacLaine was a last-minute replacement after the original star pulled out. Her fee was a reported $750,000.<ref name="walker">Alexander Walker, ''Hollywood, England'', Stein and Day, 1974 p. 396</ref>

[[Assheton Gorton]] served as the production designer for the film.

Location scenes were filmed in [[Putney]], [[Bloomsbury]], at the [[National Film Theatre]] in the [[South Bank Centre]] and at [[Alexandra Palace]] in London. Interiors were filmed at the [[Twickenham Film Studios]] in [[Twickenham]].

The soundtrack includes the songs "The Way That I Live" performed by [[Jack Jones (singer)|Jack Jones]], "Let's Live for Love" by the Spectrum and "Fall in Love" by [[the New Vaudeville Band]].

[[Frank Thornton]], [[Barry Humphries]], [[Willie Rushton]] and [[John Cleese]] make brief appearances in the film.

==Reception==
In his review in ''[[The New York Times]]'', Howard Thompson called the film "roguish, restrained and absurdly likable, with a neat climactic twist."<ref>[https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9403E0DA1730E034BC4A52DFB4678383679EDE ''The New York Times'' review]</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described the film as "a silly, [[camp (style)|campy]] and sophisticated marital comedy, always amusing and often hilarious in impact . . . although basically a one-joke story, [the] idea is fleshed out most satisfactorily so as to take undue attention away from the premise. Performances are all very good, Attenborough's in particular."<ref>[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117789351.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 ''Variety'' review]</ref>

''[[Time Out New York]]'' called the film a "coarse comedy which looks a little like [[Joe Orton]] gone disastrously wrong . . . any sparks in the script or performances are ruthlessly extinguished by atrocious direction."<ref>[https://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/68020/The_Bliss_of_Mrs_Blossom.html ''Time Out New York'' review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021035848/http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/68020/The_Bliss_of_Mrs_Blossom.html |date=21 October 2009 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0062739|title=The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom }}
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|the_bliss_of_mrs_blossom}}

{{Alec Coppel}}
{{Joseph McGrath (director)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, The}}
[[Category:1968 films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:1968 comedy films]]
[[Category:British films based on plays]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:Films shot in London]]
[[Category:Films shot at Twickenham Film Studios]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Joseph McGrath (film director)]]
[[Category:Films scored by Riz Ortolani]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s British films]]

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom - Revision history

Kurt at 22:35, 24 January 2023

Kurt at 22:34, 24 January 2023

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