Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: July Chicken Casserole
David Tomlinson and Petula Clark, two Brits who would become much more famous in the 1960s*, star in Made in Heaven (1952). Tomlinson and Clark play a married couple, Basil and Julie Topham, who are in the running to win the Dunmow Flitch. The only obstacles? One sexy Hungarian maid and a missing side of bacon. Made in Heaven isn't a particularly amazing movie, but it's enjoyable enough and has three things going for it:
1. There's a portrayal of the Dunmow Flitch Trials. I wouldn't have known about them otherwise.
2. The clothes worn by Petula Clark and Sonja Ziemann (as saucy maid Marta) are fantastic. It's too bad Petula has to spend most of the movie with chronic bitchface, because she's really adorable and has such pretty clothes. Of course, if someone were trying to steal David Tomlinson (and half a pig!) from me, I'd be pretty angry, too.
Made in Heaven is available on Netflix Watch Instantly.
*
Fun fact: Petula Clark recorded her biggest hit, "Downtown," in 1964, the same year David Tomlinson starred in Mary Poppins:
Ah Petula! Don't Sleep in the subway Darling...one of my all time favs. The movie looks like a great find for a rainy day...
ReplyDeleteYes! I love "Downtown!"
ReplyDeleteThis entire post made me smile! Petula Clark is darling - don't think I've ever seen her sing before...
ReplyDeleteOooo, some really cute outfits here!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for this post. I had never seen Petula Clark pre her blonde days. I saw Petula in concert earlier this year - for an 80 year old woman, she is amazing!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Love those photos from the film. Amazing costumes. Petula was one of my favorite singers.
ReplyDeleteI love the clothes and sets from old movies...especially when they're so well done. Off to read parts 1 and 2.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not the only one who loves Petula Clark. Now I just need to watch this movie.
ReplyDeleteApologies if someone has already sent this link but it STILL GOES ON in Dunmow!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lovefood.com/journal/features/16356/flitch-trials-marital-bliss
Jenny
I talked about the current festival a bit in part 1, but I hadn't read the Lovefood link. I'll head over and check it out.
DeleteHehehe...Chronic bitchface...I hate when that happens!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this movie although it sounds cute. Those pesky Hungarian maids...did she steal the bacon? Is this on netflix per chance?
Yes, it's on Netflix, but only on streaming. I don't think there's a region 1 DVD. Hey, I'm not going to tell you what happens to the bacon, you'll just have to watch it and see! :-)
DeleteThe clothes are SO! BEAUTIFUL! I'm only familiar with the scooter-dress, side swept bangs, false eyelashes Petula Clark of the late sixties'...she looks a lot like Deborah Kerr (except angry, like you said) in most of the stills you posted. I never knew who David Tomlinson was either, though I think I've seen him all over the place in British movies. I love that hyper-colorized color they seemed to use over there in the forties' and fifties', as in Blithe Spirit. Everything looks like a catalog ad!
ReplyDeleteI love old technicolor--it's too bad this film has degraded quite a bit. I'm sure it was glorious when it was released. I like the "hyper reality" of technicolor and kodachrome.
DeleteHi Lauren. Great blog. I covered the 2012 Flitch Trials for love food.com http://www.lovefood.com/journal/features/16356/flitch-trials-marital-bliss. I didn't realise it had been featured in a film (I've been too busy ploughing through the William Harrison Ainsworth book on the subject!)!
ReplyDelete