The Demi-Paradise

The Demi-Paradise
The Demi-Paradise
	Danish theatrical poster
Directed by	Anthony Asquith
Written by	Anatole de Grunwald
Produced by	Filippo Del Giudice; Anatole de Grunwald
Starring	Laurence Olivier; Margaret Rutherford ; Felix Aylmer
Cinematography	Bernard Knowles
Edited by	Renee Woods
Music by	Nicholas Brodszky
Production; company	Two Cities Films
Distributed by	General Film Distributors ; Universal Pictures (US)
Release date	20 December 1943 (UK);
Running time	114 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$800,000

The Demi-Paradise (also known as Adventure for Two) is a 1943 British^[2] comedy film made by Two Cities Films. It stars Laurence Olivier as a Soviet Russian inventor who travels to England to have his revolutionary propeller manufactured, and Penelope Dudley-Ward as the woman who falls in love with him. It was directed by Anthony Asquith and produced by Anatole de Grunwald and Filippo Del Giudice from a screenplay by de Grunwald. The music score was by Nicholas Brodszky and the cinematography by Bernard Knowles. The film was shot at Denham Studios with sets designed by the art director Carmen Dillon.

The film is a gentle satire on the values the English hold so dear. It was designed to encourage sympathy between Britain and the Soviet Union. The film's title is a reference to John of Gaunt's famous speech in Richard II which begins:

This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle,

This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demi-paradise

Plot summary

Ivan Kouznetsoff (Laurence Olivier), a Russian inventor, travels to England to introduce the British shipping industry to his newly invented and improved propeller blade. There he meets socialite Anne Tisdall (Penelope Dudley-Ward), and falls for her. Meeting Anne and hearing her views turn his own previous conceptions about the capitalist system and its degenerates upside down. After a lovers' quarrel, Ivan heads back to Russian only to be recalled to England a year later to smooth out imperfections in his design. Despite his efforts, his modifications prove to be unsound and he seems destined to return to the Soviet Union in disgrace.

Anne convinces the local shipbuilders to work around the clock in order to realise the revolutionary propeller. Soon they solve the problem, and there is a very successful launch of the new line of ships. Ivan can return to the Soviet Union to aid the war effort, enriched by Anne's love.^[3]

Cast

Laurence Olivier as Ivan Kouznetsoff
Penelope Dudley-Ward as Ann Tisdall
Marjorie Fielding as Mrs. Tisdall
Margaret Rutherford as Rowena Ventnor
Felix Aylmer as Mr. Runalow
George Thorpe as Herbert Tisdall
Leslie Henson as himself
Guy Middleton as Dick Christian
Michael Shepley as Mr. Walford
Edie Martin as Miss Winifred Tisdall
Muriel Aked as Mrs. Tisdall-Stanton
Joyce Grenfell as Sybil Paulson
Everley Gregg as Mrs. Flannel
Jack Watling as Tom
David Keir as Jordan
Aubrey Mallalieu as Toomes, the Butler
Beatrice Harrison as herself
Miles Malleson as Theatre Cashier
John Laurie as Wounded sailor
Brian Nissen as George Tisdall
George Cole as Percy
Harry Fowler as Evacuee
Marie Ault as Mrs. Jones
Gladys Henson as Mrs. Frost
John Boxer as British Sailor
Alexis Chesnakov as Russian Delegate
Josephine Middleton as Mrs. Tremlow
Margaret Withers as Mrs. Elliston
Charles Paton as Mr. Bishop
Wilfrid Hyde-White as Nightclub Waiter
Mavis Clair as Barmaid

References

^ "Olivier to Produce, Direct, Star in Henry V". Variety. 26 May 1943. p. 17.
^ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 11 November 2021.
^ "Demi-Paradise".

External links

The Demi-Paradise at IMDb
The Demi-Paradise at AllMovie
The Demi-Paradise at the TCM Movie Database

[1] "Olivier to Produce, Direct, Star in Henry V". Variety. 26 May 1943. p. 17.

[2] "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 11 November 2021.

[3] "Demi-Paradise".

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