50'S FOCUS : THE ADVENTURES OF SADIE ( OUR GIRL FRIDAY ) 1953

Renown Picture Corporation
              Presents
The Adventures Of Sadie
                Aka
     Our Girl Friday
                           Starring
       Joan Collins
                 as
           Sadie Patch
Kenneth More as Pat Plunkett
George Cole as Carrol
Robertson Hare as Professor Gibble
Walter Fitzgerald as Captain
Hattie Jacques as Mrs Patch
Hermione Gingold as Old Spinster


     Edited by John Seabourne / John Pomeroy  Music by Ronald Binge  Screenplay by Noel Langley
    Art Director-Fred Pusey  Director of Photography-Wilkie Cooper  Assistant Director-Denis O'Dell
                Produced by Noel Langley & George Minter   Directed by Noel Langley
          (c)  1953 ..  88 Mins .. Color .. Region 2 DVD from DD Home Entertainment ..

Made in 1953, this was Joan's first film which saw her name above the title and it proved a hit in Britain. "Our Girl Friday" was filmed on the island of Majorca, which at that time was far from populated and well before the advent of the package holiday! The film features a cast of British comedy greats, which include Hattie Jacques as Sadie's nagging mother and Hermione Gingold as a dotty spinster! Joan plays the role of Sadie, a spoilt rich girl, whose parents have their own business and she is the only female character for much of the film's running time. Kenneth Moore, who had just had great success with the now classic film "Genevieve", stars as Pat Plunkett, a hard drinking Irish man, who is the sunken ships stoker. George Cole plays the role of Carrol, a cynical journalist, who bears a love hate feeling for Sadie. Robertson Hare is the irritating Professor Gibble, an economics professor, who has an eye for Sadie, despite his pompous air!
The film was released in the USA under the title "The Adventures of Sadie".Even after and unflattering review by the New York Times, Joan's performance was noticed by Hollywood Studio head Darryl Zanuck who ordered Fox executive Edward Leggevie, if she would be interested in going to Hollywood under contract!

THE NEW YORK TIMES....
"Joan Collins is perfect for the bikini suit in which she swims and in which she undulates across a  beach. And she doesn't make a bad impression in a tattered dress either. She makes no impression as an actress!"
VARIETY  1953.......
"Three men and a girl, stranded on a desert island, should be an obvious vehicle for a spicy, sexy comedy. But this British effort does not quite come up to expectations. The story from Norman Lindsay's novel "The Cautious Amorist", has it's moments of fun, but the dialogue is often flat and forced."

After this film Joan went back to the theatre to appear in the play "The Praying Mantis", where she played her first vamp / bitch role of a Byzantine empress, who makes love to young warriors and then has them executed! At this time Joan was still married to Maxwell Reed, but the marriage was near it's end and Joan was glad of the location shoot in Majorca. Props and special effects for the film were orchestrated by Eddie Fowlie, who later went on to do all of David Lean's films and became his lifelong friend.
Having viewed the film under both titles, it appears that the American version under the "Adventures" title, appears to have extra scenes not seen in the UK print. Notably some additional underwater shots and at the climax, we see the professor (Hare) stranded on an island, after the second sinking and finding the dotty spinster (Gingold), much to his horror! In the British release, we only see Joan as Sadie, coming out of the sea, hearing Plunkett (More), warbling an Irish ditty! Joan looks stunning in the film and overall the picture is amusing and has some wonderful eccentric characters and a great location. One adventure well worth seeking out!

   (c)   2010   Mark McMorrow..