Something of a rarity and a definite must-see for Rattigan buffs. It was written originally as a third one-act play to be presented with Harliquinade and The Browning Version in 1948 but when he was unable to interest John Gielgud in any of the three (who said actors have to be smart) Rattigan dropped it and more or less forgot about it until he was approached for a short piece for television. We don't need to look far for signs of Rattigan either in the characters, plotting or dialogue but it is far from his best. Roland Culver steals the whole thing with one bon mot behind his back whilst Margaret Leighton exudes Class as she always did but Christopher Gable in the lead is well out of his comfort zone. Nevertheless it makes fascinating viewing for the Rattigan admirers.
2 Reviews
High Summer
Prismark1021 March 2021
An over theatrical adaptation of a Terence Rattigan play.
Lady Huntercombe's (Margaret Leighton) estate is hosting a cricket match between the staff and the local villagers. A foreign prince in attendance who does not understand the game.
Also dropping in is her son Jack (Christopher Gable) who has been away for six years. He has been living in Paris and trying to make it as a painter.
After the death of his father, Jack is the rightful heir to the estate. However it seems Jack was a wild child, getting into money trouble.
Lady Huntercombe and the family financial adviser Donovan (Donald Hewlett) paid Jack off to give up his claims some years ago. Donovan is his mother's lover and plans to marry her.
Now Jack has sought legal advice and knows he is entitled to the house, the land and the valuable paintings. He plans to sell to the developers who can build over 100 houses.
Only Jack's uncle Lord George (Roland Culver) might be able to get through to him, about continuing the family estate. Lord George even wants Jack to marry Lady Margaret who should make a suitable wife for Jack. Even though she is unofficially engaged to his younger brother.
The play is set in a changing world where the aristocracy feel under attack from socialists. Jack is a Fabian, a progressive who sees no role for himself as an aristocrat. A drawing room socialist, who does no work and still gets a tidy allowance from mother.
The adaptation suffers slightly with an uneasy mixture of studio scenes and some outside shooting of the cricket match.
It suffers more as the play needed to be expanded. It is all rather stiff with only Culver adding some lighthearted fun and mischief.
Rattigan was a playwright who started to look old fashioned and went out of fashion. This play is an example of this.
Lady Huntercombe's (Margaret Leighton) estate is hosting a cricket match between the staff and the local villagers. A foreign prince in attendance who does not understand the game.
Also dropping in is her son Jack (Christopher Gable) who has been away for six years. He has been living in Paris and trying to make it as a painter.
After the death of his father, Jack is the rightful heir to the estate. However it seems Jack was a wild child, getting into money trouble.
Lady Huntercombe and the family financial adviser Donovan (Donald Hewlett) paid Jack off to give up his claims some years ago. Donovan is his mother's lover and plans to marry her.
Now Jack has sought legal advice and knows he is entitled to the house, the land and the valuable paintings. He plans to sell to the developers who can build over 100 houses.
Only Jack's uncle Lord George (Roland Culver) might be able to get through to him, about continuing the family estate. Lord George even wants Jack to marry Lady Margaret who should make a suitable wife for Jack. Even though she is unofficially engaged to his younger brother.
The play is set in a changing world where the aristocracy feel under attack from socialists. Jack is a Fabian, a progressive who sees no role for himself as an aristocrat. A drawing room socialist, who does no work and still gets a tidy allowance from mother.
The adaptation suffers slightly with an uneasy mixture of studio scenes and some outside shooting of the cricket match.
It suffers more as the play needed to be expanded. It is all rather stiff with only Culver adding some lighthearted fun and mischief.
Rattigan was a playwright who started to look old fashioned and went out of fashion. This play is an example of this.
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