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The Feminine Touch (1956 film)

January 06, 2023

The Feminine Touch is a 1956 colour British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring George Baker, Belinda Lee and Delphi Lawrence. The film is based on the bestselling novel A Lamp Is Heavy by Canadian former nurse Sheila Mackay Russell,[1] and consequently it was released as A Lamp Is Heavy in Canada, while it was given the title The Gentle Touch in the United States, when it was released there in December 1957.[2]

The Feminine Touch
UK quad format cinema poster
Directed byPat Jackson
Screenplay byW. P. Lipscomb (uncredited)
Richard Mason (uncredited)
Based onA Lamp Is Heavy
by Sheila Mackay Russell
Produced byMichael Balcon
associate
Jack Rix
StarringGeorge Baker
Belinda Lee
Delphi Lawrence
CinematographyPaul Beeson
Edited byPeter Bezencenet
Music byClifton Parker
Production
company
Distributed byJ. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
Release date
  • 27 March 1956 (1956-03-27) (UK)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The film follows five very different student nurses during their first year of training at an NHS hospital in London called St. Augustine's Hospital (filmed at Guy's Hospital), where they live in a dormitory. However, of the five, the main focus is Susan.

Susan (Belinda Lee) is reliable and sensible; Pat (Delphi Lawrence) is flighty and open; Maureen (Adrienne Corri) is Irish and loud; Ann (Henryetta Edwards) is a former public school girl; and Liz (Barbara Archer) comes from a working class background. As they get to know each other, they bond in spite of their differences.

Susan falls in love with Dr Jim Alcott. She is tempted to leave nursing to go with Jim to Canada but decides not to go after helping a patient who tried to commit suicide. However, after a talk with Matron, she decides to join Jim in Canada.

Mandy Miller plays a young patient with a heart condition, convinced that she is going to die.

When it is revealed that one of the group stayed out all night to be with one of the doctors she faces instant dismissal until it is revealed that she has been married for a month. Although also against the rules the nurses philosophise with the matron that this is more admirable than the nurses sneaking out to have affairs: which is tolerated by the system.

Main cast

 
Canadian poster, with the title A Lamp is Heavy.

Production

The film was based on a 1950 book, The Lamp is Heavy by Sheila Russell. Russell was from Canada, and worked as a nurse in Edmonton. She married a doctor in 1947. The novel was published in the Commonwealth in 1954.[3] It sold 75,000 copies over five years.[4] Russell later wrote another novel called The Living Earth (1954).[5]

Michael Balcon of Ealing wanted to make a hospital film but Sir John Davis of Rank was reluctant; eventually Balcon managed to get approval for this movie.[6]

It was the first Ealing movie directed by Pat Jackson, who had previously made an earlier film about nursing, White Corridors (1951). It was one of the last pair of films made at Ealing Studios, which had been sold to the BBC, and one of the last Ealing movies under the nine-year relationship between Rank and Ealing. (Ealing would move to MGM studios, make several more movies, then be wound up.)[7][8][9]

It was an early star role for Belinda Lee.[10] It was one of several "sensible girl" parts she played for Rank.[11] Dorothy Alison was an Australian actor.[12]

Film rights were bought by Rank in early 1955. Filming began in late June 1955 at Pinewood Studios.[13] There was location work at Guy's Hospital. "I'm not surprised that there is a change in title", said Russell. "After all, in England the 'lamp' is still pretty heavy for nurses."[14]

Reception

Variety called it "worthwhile, and as a piece of romantic entertainment, it is more than adequate. Pic has valuable exploitation angles which should help returns in the domestic market... yarn has few comedy touches as well as strong dramatic angles... Cast is competent .without being standout. Miss Lee, a handsome blonde, is rapidly improving as an actress."[15]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "this latest example of nurse recruitment by film adds little to what has been said by previous productions of this kind."[16]

The Observer said it was "not very good drama, I'm afraid."[17]

References

  1. ^ Sanderson, Kay (1999). 200 Remarkable Alberta Women. Calgary: Famous Five Foundation. p. 99.
  2. ^ IMDb: The Feminine Touch – release info Linked 2015-05-15
  3. ^ "Girls in blue". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XIX, no. 203. New South Wales, Australia. 13 November 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 4 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Six Titles of Interest in the Field of Current Fiction: Nightingales Hen Medic Rural Alcoholic Troubled Village Death-Wish C.O., Muddled". New York Times. 2 July 1950. p. BR7.
  5. ^ 9-10 of Volume 2 of Literary History of Alberta: From the End of the War to the End of the Century, by George Melnyk, 1999, University of Alberta Press.
  6. ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British Cinema of The 1950s The Decline of Deference. Oxford University Press USA. pp. 66–68.
  7. ^ Barr, Charles (1977). Ealing studios. Cameron & Tayleur. p. 178.
  8. ^ "Ealing Ends 9 Year Pact with Rank". Variety. 15 February 1956. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Keep British Flavour". Variety. 29 February 1956. p. 18.
  10. ^ "Film Fan— Fare". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 24, no. 24. 14 November 1956. p. 35. Retrieved 4 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
  12. ^ "Screen boom for Dorothy". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 23, no. [?]. 25 January 1956. p. 36. Retrieved 4 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ Aitken, Margaret (28 June 1955). "Between You and Me". Vancouver News Herald. p. 4.
  14. ^ "Title Changed for Film of City Author's Book". Edmonton Journal. 27 July 1955. p. 27.
  15. ^ Review of film at Variety
  16. ^ "FEMININE TOUCH, The". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 23, no. 264. London. 1 January 1956. p. 56.
  17. ^ Lejeune, C A. (1 April 1956). "Suspense Story". The Observer. London (UK). p. 10.

External links

January 06, 2023
feminine, touch, 1956, film, feminine, touch, 1956, colour, british, drama, film, directed, jackson, starring, george, baker, belinda, delphi, lawrence, film, based, bestselling, novel, lamp, heavy, canadian, former, nurse, sheila, mackay, russell, consequentl. The Feminine Touch is a 1956 colour British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring George Baker Belinda Lee and Delphi Lawrence The film is based on the bestselling novel A Lamp Is Heavy by Canadian former nurse Sheila Mackay Russell 1 and consequently it was released as A Lamp Is Heavy in Canada while it was given the title The Gentle Touch in the United States when it was released there in December 1957 2 The Feminine TouchUK quad format cinema posterDirected byPat JacksonScreenplay byW P Lipscomb uncredited Richard Mason uncredited Based onA Lamp Is Heavyby Sheila Mackay RussellProduced byMichael BalconassociateJack RixStarringGeorge BakerBelinda LeeDelphi LawrenceCinematographyPaul BeesonEdited byPeter BezencenetMusic byClifton ParkerProductioncompanyEaling StudiosDistributed byJ Arthur Rank Film DistributorsRelease date27 March 1956 1956 03 27 UK Running time91 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish Contents 1 Plot 2 Main cast 3 Production 4 Reception 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditThe film follows five very different student nurses during their first year of training at an NHS hospital in London called St Augustine s Hospital filmed at Guy s Hospital where they live in a dormitory However of the five the main focus is Susan Susan Belinda Lee is reliable and sensible Pat Delphi Lawrence is flighty and open Maureen Adrienne Corri is Irish and loud Ann Henryetta Edwards is a former public school girl and Liz Barbara Archer comes from a working class background As they get to know each other they bond in spite of their differences Susan falls in love with Dr Jim Alcott She is tempted to leave nursing to go with Jim to Canada but decides not to go after helping a patient who tried to commit suicide However after a talk with Matron she decides to join Jim in Canada Mandy Miller plays a young patient with a heart condition convinced that she is going to die When it is revealed that one of the group stayed out all night to be with one of the doctors she faces instant dismissal until it is revealed that she has been married for a month Although also against the rules the nurses philosophise with the matron that this is more admirable than the nurses sneaking out to have affairs which is tolerated by the system Main cast EditGeorge Baker Dr Jim Alcott Belinda Lee Susan Richards Delphi Lawrence Pat Martin Adrienne Corri Maureen O Brien Henryetta Edwards Ann Bowland Barbara Archer Liz Jenkins Diana Wynyard Matron Joan Haythorne Home Sister Beatrice Varley Sister Snow Constance Fraser Assistant Matron Vivienne Drummond Second Year Nurse Christopher Rhodes Dr Ted Russell Richard Leech Casualty doctor Newton Blick Porter Dandy Nichols Skivvy Mark Daly Gardener Mandy Miller Jessie Dorothy Alison The suicide Joss Ambler Mr Bateman Canadian poster with the title A Lamp is Heavy Production EditThe film was based on a 1950 book The Lamp is Heavy by Sheila Russell Russell was from Canada and worked as a nurse in Edmonton She married a doctor in 1947 The novel was published in the Commonwealth in 1954 3 It sold 75 000 copies over five years 4 Russell later wrote another novel called The Living Earth 1954 5 Michael Balcon of Ealing wanted to make a hospital film but Sir John Davis of Rank was reluctant eventually Balcon managed to get approval for this movie 6 It was the first Ealing movie directed by Pat Jackson who had previously made an earlier film about nursing White Corridors 1951 It was one of the last pair of films made at Ealing Studios which had been sold to the BBC and one of the last Ealing movies under the nine year relationship between Rank and Ealing Ealing would move to MGM studios make several more movies then be wound up 7 8 9 It was an early star role for Belinda Lee 10 It was one of several sensible girl parts she played for Rank 11 Dorothy Alison was an Australian actor 12 Film rights were bought by Rank in early 1955 Filming began in late June 1955 at Pinewood Studios 13 There was location work at Guy s Hospital I m not surprised that there is a change in title said Russell After all in England the lamp is still pretty heavy for nurses 14 Reception EditVariety called it worthwhile and as a piece of romantic entertainment it is more than adequate Pic has valuable exploitation angles which should help returns in the domestic market yarn has few comedy touches as well as strong dramatic angles Cast is competent without being standout Miss Lee a handsome blonde is rapidly improving as an actress 15 The Monthly Film Bulletin said this latest example of nurse recruitment by film adds little to what has been said by previous productions of this kind 16 The Observer said it was not very good drama I m afraid 17 References Edit Sanderson Kay 1999 200 Remarkable Alberta Women Calgary Famous Five Foundation p 99 IMDb The Feminine Touch release info Linked 2015 05 15 Girls in blue The Daily Telegraph Vol XIX no 203 New South Wales Australia 13 November 1954 p 8 Retrieved 4 August 2020 via National Library of Australia Six Titles of Interest in the Field of Current Fiction Nightingales Hen Medic Rural Alcoholic Troubled Village Death Wish C O Muddled New York Times 2 July 1950 p BR7 9 10 of Volume 2 of Literary History of Alberta From the End of the War to the End of the Century by George Melnyk 1999 University of Alberta Press Harper Sue Porter Vincent 2003 British Cinema of The 1950s The Decline of Deference Oxford University Press USA pp 66 68 Barr Charles 1977 Ealing studios Cameron amp Tayleur p 178 Ealing Ends 9 Year Pact with Rank Variety 15 February 1956 p 12 Keep British Flavour Variety 29 February 1956 p 18 Film Fan Fare The Australian Women s Weekly Vol 24 no 24 14 November 1956 p 35 Retrieved 4 August 2020 via National Library of Australia Vagg Stephen 7 September 2020 A Tale of Two Blondes Diana Dors and Belinda Lee Filmink Screen boom for Dorothy The Australian Women s Weekly Vol 23 no 25 January 1956 p 36 Retrieved 4 August 2020 via National Library of Australia Aitken Margaret 28 June 1955 Between You and Me Vancouver News Herald p 4 Title Changed for Film of City Author s Book Edmonton Journal 27 July 1955 p 27 Review of film at Variety FEMININE TOUCH The Monthly Film Bulletin Vol 23 no 264 London 1 January 1956 p 56 Lejeune C A 1 April 1956 Suspense Story The Observer London UK p 10 External links EditThe Feminine Touch at the British Film Institute The Feminine Touch at the British Board of Film Classification The Feminine Touch at IMDb The Feminine Touch at Letterbox DVD The Feminine Touch at the British Film Institute Dr Keith M Johnston 4 November 2011 The Feminine Touch 1956 film review from a hospital staffer perspective Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Feminine Touch 1956 film amp oldid 1121864744, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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