The Green Man (film) - Revision history

Kurt at 04:29, 7 January 2023

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	{{short description\|1956 film}}		{{short description\|1956 film}}
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2014}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=October 2014}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = The Green Man		\| name = The Green Man
	\| image = The ~~greenman movieposter~~.jpg		\| image = The Green Man (film).jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption = Film poster		\| caption = Film poster

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See also

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	==Critical reception==		==Critical reception==
	''[[The New York Times]]'' TV section noted "Weekend at a horrible little country hotel, same name, and one of the funniest British films ever"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/01/20/archives/television.html\|title=Television (Published 1978)\|date=20 January 1978\|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> the ''[[Radio Times]]'' wrote "If you ever doubted that Alastair Sim was the finest British screen comedian of the [[sound era]], then here's the proof of his immense talent. As the assassin with the mournful smile, he gives a performance of rare genius that more than makes amends for the longueurs in Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat's script"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/fj5htm/the-green-man/\|title=The Green Man – review \| cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online\|website=Radio Times}}</ref> [[Allmovie]] opined "If The Green Man finally falls a little short of being classic, it's only because the mechanics of the plot get a bit wearying at times; otherwise, it's a charmingly subversive little treat"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-green-man-v119990/review\|title=The Green Man (1956) - Basil Dearden, Robert Day \| Review \| AllMovie\|via=www.allmovie.com}}</ref> while ''[[Time Out (magazine)\|Time Out]]'' called it "A splendid black comedy."<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-green-man\|title=The Green Man\|website=Time Out Worldwide}}</ref>		''[[The New York Times]]'' TV section noted "Weekend at a horrible little country hotel, same name, and one of the funniest British films ever"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/01/20/archives/television.html\|title=Television (Published 1978)\|date=20 January 1978\|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> the ''[[Radio Times]]'' wrote "If you ever doubted that Alastair Sim was the finest British screen comedian of the [[sound era]], then here's the proof of his immense talent. As the assassin with the mournful smile, he gives a performance of rare genius that more than makes amends for the longueurs in Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat's script"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/fj5htm/the-green-man/\|title=The Green Man – review \| cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online\|website=Radio Times}}</ref> [[Allmovie]] opined "If The Green Man finally falls a little short of being classic, it's only because the mechanics of the plot get a bit wearying at times; otherwise, it's a charmingly subversive little treat"<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-green-man-v119990/review\|title=The Green Man (1956) - Basil Dearden, Robert Day \| Review \| AllMovie\|via=www.allmovie.com}}</ref> while ''[[Time Out (magazine)\|Time Out]]'' called it "A splendid black comedy."<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-green-man\|title=The Green Man\|website=Time Out Worldwide}}</ref>

	~~==See also==~~
	*[[Green Man]]

	==References==		==References==

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External links

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	*{{Screenonline title\|487471}}		*{{Screenonline title\|487471}}

	~~{{Robert Day}}~~
	~~{{Basil Dearden}}~~
	~~{{Launder and Gilliat}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Man, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Man, The}}
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	[[Category:1950s English-language films]]		[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
	[[Category:1950s British films]]		[[Category:1950s British films]]
			[[Category:British comedy films]]

Kurt: 1 revision imported

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{{short description|1956 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Green Man
| image = The greenman movieposter.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Film poster
| director = [[Robert Day (director)|Robert Day]] [[Basil Dearden]] (uncredited)
| producer =
| writer = [[Frank Launder]] [[Sidney Gilliat]]
| narrator =
| starring = [[Alastair Sim]] [[George Cole (actor)|George Cole]] [[Terry-Thomas]] [[Jill Adams]]
| music = [[Cedric Thorpe Davie]]
| cinematography = [[Gerald Gibbs (cinematographer)|Gerald Gibbs]]
| editing =
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|1956}}
| runtime =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
}}

'''''The Green Man''''' is a 1956 black and white British [[black comedy film]] based on the play ''Meet a Body'' by [[Frank Launder]] and [[Sidney Gilliat]], who produced and adapted the big-screen version.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/437/meet-a-body/production/phv|title=Production of Meet a Body | Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6ab8fe3d|title=The Green Man (1956)|website=BFI}}</ref>

==Plot==
Harry Hawkins is a freelance assassin who is contracted to blow up Sir Gregory Upshott, a prominent and pompous London businessman. By courting Upshott's spinster secretary, Marigold, he learns that his target will be taking one of the firm's typists for a weekend at a seaside hotel called "The Green Man". Hawkins hides a bomb in a radio, which he plans to leave in the hotel lounge. Finding out his treachery, the secretary comes to his house to confront him but is attacked and left for dead by Hawkins' assistant McKechnie who, as nobody is next door, hides the body there (in a grand piano).

The body is found by a young vacuum cleaner salesman called William Blake who calls there, and he first goes next door and accidentally alerts Hawkins, who has his assistant move the body. He then alerts Reginald, the owner's, pretty fiancée Ann. The two are terrified, and when Reginald returns home he finds them lying on the floor next to the bed. Reginald's second furious exit creates doubt over the future relationship. William and Ann then face another moment of horror as the "corpse" staggers into the house through the French doors and, before collapsing again, tells them that Upshott will be blown up that night in the Green Man by a bomb at precisely 22:28.

Meanwhile a new group of figures assemble at The Green Man: Upshott arrives with his shy young secretary Joan, but wants a drink before he registers. The waiter tells them they must order food before 10pm because of the Catering Act. Hawkins arrives and sits in the lounge enjoying a violin concerto by three women. The bomb is in a radio in his suitcase. Hawkins takes the three women for a drink in the bar just as Upshott and his secretary rise to take their meal.

Not knowing what Upshott looks like or what name he will register under, Ann and William rush there and decide he will be alone and under a false name. They wrongly assume that the name "Boughtflower" is false and track him down. But the time reaches 22:28 and they dive for cover. The trio starts playing in the lounge again. Hawkins encourages them to play faster and join him again in the bar.

Meanwhile Ann and William cannot get the landlord to believe their story, try to evacuate the place and locate the bomb. Hawkins has put the radio on in the lounge. It announces the time as 22:24. William realises the time on the hall clock was wrong. He starts to evacuate the hotel. Meanwhile Upshott sits closer to the radio to hear an article about himself. William has the brainwave that it will be on a timer in the radio, which he therefore throws towards the sea seconds before it explodes. Hawkins is stopped by the police as he tries to drive off.

Driving back to London, Reginald comes on the radio, reading a vicious poem about Ann. They stop and share their first kiss.

==Cast==
*[[Alastair Sim]] as Harry Hawkins
*[[George Cole (actor)|George Cole]] as William Blake
*[[Terry-Thomas]] as Charles Boughtflower, a guest at the Green Man
*[[Jill Adams]] as Ann Vincent
*[[Raymond Huntley]] as Sir Gregory Upshott
*[[Colin Gordon]] as Reginald Willoughby-Cruft
*[[Avril Angers]] as Marigold
*[[Dora Bryan]] as Lily, the receptionist and barmaid at the Green Man
*[[John Chandos (actor)|John Chandos]] as McKechnie
*[[Cyril Chamberlain]] as Police Sergeant Bassett
*[[Eileen Moore]] as Sir Gregory's weekend companion, Joan Wood
*[[Richard Wattis]] as the doctor called by Blake
*[[Vivien Wood]] as Leader of the Hotel string trio
*[[Marie Burke]] as Felicity, member of Hotel string trio
*[[Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1919)|Lucy Griffiths]] as Annabel, member of Hotel string trio
*[[Arthur Brough]] as Landlord
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as Radio salesman
*[[Alexander Gauge]] as Chairman
*[[Peter Bull]] as General Niva
*[[Willoughby Goddard]] as Statesman
*[[Michael Ripper]] as Waiter at the Green Man
*[[Terence Alexander]] as Radio Announcer

==Production==
Cole's then-wife, Eileen Moore, appeared in the film as the typist with whom Upshott has a liaison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/521069/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Cole, George (1925-) Biography|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref>

The film, [[History of British film certificates|rated U]], has been re-released on [[DVD region code#Region 2|Region 2 DVD]] with ''[[School for Scoundrels (1960 film)|School for Scoundrels]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=4683|title=DVD.net : The Green Man / School For Scoundrels - DVD Review|website=www.dvd.net.au}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
''[[The New York Times]]'' TV section noted "Weekend at a horrible little country hotel, same name, and one of the funniest British films ever"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/01/20/archives/television.html|title=Television (Published 1978)|date=20 January 1978|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> the ''[[Radio Times]]'' wrote "If you ever doubted that Alastair Sim was the finest British screen comedian of the [[sound era]], then here's the proof of his immense talent. As the assassin with the mournful smile, he gives a performance of rare genius that more than makes amends for the longueurs in Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat's script"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/fj5htm/the-green-man/|title=The Green Man – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online|website=Radio Times}}</ref> [[Allmovie]] opined "If The Green Man finally falls a little short of being classic, it's only because the mechanics of the plot get a bit wearying at times; otherwise, it's a charmingly subversive little treat"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-green-man-v119990/review|title=The Green Man (1956) - Basil Dearden, Robert Day | Review | AllMovie|via=www.allmovie.com}}</ref> while ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' called it "A splendid black comedy."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-green-man|title=The Green Man|website=Time Out Worldwide}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Green Man]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0050456}}
*{{Screenonline title|487471}}

{{Robert Day}}
{{Basil Dearden}}
{{Launder and Gilliat}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Man, The}}
[[Category:1956 films]]
[[Category:1950s black comedy films]]
[[Category:British black-and-white films]]
[[Category:British black comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Basil Dearden]]
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Day]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:British films based on plays]]
[[Category:Films about contract killing in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Films about assassinations]]
[[Category:1956 comedy films]]
[[Category:1956 drama films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s British films]]