The Woman’s Angle * (1952, Edward Underdown, Cathy O’Donnell, Lois Maxwell, Claude Farell, Peter Reynolds, Marjorie Fielding) – Classic Movie Review 12,480

Director Leslie Arliss’s 1952 British drama film The Woman’s Angle stars Edward Underdown, Cathy O’Donnell, Lois Maxwell, Claude Farell, Peter Reynolds, Marjorie Fielding, Anthony Nicholls, Isabel Dean, Ernest Thesiger, and John Bentley.

Edward Underdown stars as randy, unsettled musician Robert Mansell, whose life, marriage and three love affairs are recounted via flashbacks during his divorce case. 

Lois Maxwell co-stars as his wife, on whom he has cheated to enjoy an affair with an exotic foreign ballerina (Claude Farell). Cathy O’Donnell plays a young music critic who sorts Underdown out.

This fumbled, overheated romantic drama boasts few interesting angles, alas, from co-writer/ co-producer/ director Arliss, who clumsily adapts Ruth Feiner’s novel Three Cups of Coffee to the screen.

However, in an intriguing cast, Peter Reynolds, Isabel Dean, John Bentley, Marjorie Fielding and Olaf Pooley play the various other members of the Mansell family, while Ernest Thesiger has a camp old time as the judge.

Robert Mansell belongs to celebrated family of musicians. They are played by Peter Reynolds as Brian Mansell, Marjorie Fielding as Mrs Mansell, Isabel Dean as Isobel Mansell, John Bentley as Renfro Mansell, and Olaf Pooley as Rudolph Mansell.

This is certainly the one for all those who want to know what Joan Collins looked like, aged 19, in her second picture. She debuted in Lady Godiva Rides Again [Bikini Baby] as Beauty Queen Contestant (uncredited) in 1951, followed by The Woman’s Angle, Judgment Deferred and Ealing Studios’  I Believe in You (all 1952).

It runs 86 minutes.

It was made by Associated British Picture Corporation and released Associated British-Pathé on February 1952 (UK).

Arliss was a fan of the novel since reading it in 1944. He writes the screenplay with Mabbie Pool and Frederick Gotfurt.

English actor Olaf Pooley died from congestive heart failure on 14 July 2015, aged 101, at his home in Santa Monica, California.

The cast are Edward Underdown as Robert Mansell, Cathy O’Donnell as Nina Van Rhyne, Lois Maxwell as Enid Mansell, Claude Farell as Delysia Veronova, Peter Reynolds as Brian Mansell, Marjorie Fielding as Mrs Mansell, Anthony Nicholls as Doctor Nigel Jarvis, Isabel Dean as Isobel Mansell, John Bentley as Renfro Mansell, Olaf Pooley as Rudolph Mansell, Ernest Thesiger as Judge, Eric Pohlmann as Steffano, Joan Collins as Marina, Malcolm Knight as Shepherd Boy, Fred Berger as Restaurant Manager, Dana Wynter as Elaine, Leslie Weston as Suttley, Geoffrey Toone as Count Cambia, Lea Seidl as Madame Kossoff, Anton Diffring as Peasant, Miles Malleson as A. Secrett, Peter Illing as Sergei, Teddy Johnson as Nightclub Singer, Sylva Langova as Blonde in Sleigh, Bill Shine as Saunders, Nora Gordon as Guest House Owner, Wensley Pithey as Mr Witherspool, Rufus Cruickshank as the Scot, and Fred Griffiths as Cockney at Bus Stop.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,480

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