Lady Godiva Rides Again
Lady Godiva Rides Again, is a 1951 British comedy film starring Pauline Stroud, George Cole and Bernadette O'Farrell, with a variety of British "name" performers in supporting roles and cameo appearances, about a small-town English girl who wins a local beauty contest by appearing as Lady Godiva, then decides to pursue greater fame in a national beauty pageant and as an actress.
| Lady Godiva Rides Again | |
|---|---|
 retitled reissue pressbook cover | |
| Directed by | Frank Launder |
| Produced by | Sidney Gilliat |
| Written by | John Dighton Val Valentine |
| Starring | Pauline Stroud Dennis Price Diana Dors |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Wilkie Cooper |
| Edited by | Thelma Connell |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release date | 25 October 1951 |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £117,891 (UK)[1] |
The film was released in the United States under its original title in 1953 by Carroll Pictures, then was re-released in the United States as Bikini Baby, to capitalize on the fame of supporting player Diana Dors, who was given star billing with the new title.
Production
The film is most notable for the presence of actresses who were later to become famous. Diana Dors, who appears as a beauty queen, was later marketed as the film's star. It also features Joan Collins in her film debut as an uncredited beauty contestant. Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in England, also appears as an uncredited beauty queen. Ruth, who was four months pregnant at the time, had dyed her hair black and had styled it into a bob.
Other young starlets in the film included Diana Russell, Dana Wynter (billed as Dagmar Wynter), Anne Heywood (billed as Violet Pretty), Yvonne Brooks, Simone Silva, Jean Marsh and Pat Marlowe. It also featured Sid James in one of his first film roles. Trevor Howard has an uncredited cameo as a cinema patron.
The film was inspired by the Miss Kent 1950 beauty competition held at Leas Cliff Hall in Kent. Frank Launder, joint producer of the film with Leslie Gilliatt, was one of the judges in the competition. Audrey Hepburn tested for the title role but was judged too thin.[2]
Cast
- Pauline Stroud as Marjorie Clark
- Bernadette O'Farrell as Janie
- George Cole as Johnny
- Stanley Holloway as Mr. Clark
- Gladys Henson as Mrs. Clark
- John McCallum as Larry Burns
- Dennis Price as Simon Abott
- Diana Dors as Dolores August
- Eddie Byrne as Eddie Mooney
- Kay Kendall as Sylvia Clark
- Cyril Chamberlain as Harry, the boarder
- Lyn Evans as Vic
- Dora Bryan as Publicity Woman
- Sid James as Lew Beeson
- Richard Wattis as Casting Director
- Tommy Duggan as a Compere
- Felix Felton as a Councillor
- Alastair Sim as Hawtrey Murington (uncredited)
- Googie Withers as Susan Foster (uncredited)
- Trevor Howard as a cinema patron extra (uncredited)
- Joan Collins as beauty pageant contestant (uncredited)
- Ruth Ellis as beauty pageant contestant (uncredited)
- Jean Marsh as beauty pageant contestant (uncredited)
Locations
The production filmed on location in Folkestone, Kent. The Leas Cliff Hall was used as the location for the beauty competition, and The Metropole was the setting for the seaside hotel hosting the Fascination Soap Pageant. Folkestone West station features in the film for the railway scenes where Marjorie Clark (Pauline Stroud) arrives and meets Dolores August (Diana Dors) and her consorts, Larry and Vic. The now closed Rotunda Amusement Park was also used for the scenes where Larry (John McCallum) and Marjorie visit and go on rides.[3]
References
- Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p495
- Paris, Barry (1 September 2001). Audrey Hepburn. Penguin. ISBN 978-0425182123.
- Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Lady Godiva Rides Again Article".