Treasure Hunt (1952 film)

Treasure Hunt is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Martita Hunt, Jimmy Edwards, Naunton Wayne and Athene Seyler.[1] It is based on the 1949 play Treasure Hunt by Molly Keane (writing as M.J. Farrell) and John Perry.

Treasure Hunt
Original trade ad
Directed byJohn Paddy Carstairs
Written byRita Davison
Anatole de Grunwald
Based onTreasure Hunt by Molly Keane (writing as M.J. Farrell) and John Perry
Produced byAnatole de Grunwald
StarringJimmy Edwards
Martita Hunt
Naunton Wayne
Athene Seyler
CinematographyC.M. Pennington-Richards
Edited byRalph Kemplen
Music byMischa Spoliansky
Production
companies
De Grunwald Productions
Romulus Films
Distributed byIndependent Film Distributors
Release date
  • 7 July 1952 (1952-07-07)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

It was shot at Teddington Studios in London, which had been for many years the base of the British subsidiary of Warner Brothers. It was the last film to be shot there, before it was later taken over as a television production facility. The film's sets were designed by the art director John Howell.

Plot

On his death, the eccentric family of rakish Sir Roderick Lyall (Jimmy Edwards) gathers at his ancestral Irish mansion, Ballyroden Hall, for the reading of the will. Everyone is shocked to hear that, once debts are paid, the only asset remaining will be the mansion. The family doctor, Mr. Walsh (Miles Malleson), suggests the mansion be turned into a guest house to bring in funds. Half the family supports the idea, but Uncle Hercules (Jimmy Edwards) and Consuelo (Athene Seyler) endeavour to sabotage the scheme. All the while, Aunt Anna Rose (Martita Hunt) insists she has mislaid a fortune in jewels – but her story is doubted due to her eccentric personality. When the first paying guests, Eustace Mills (Naunton Wayne), Mrs. Cleghorn-Thomas (June Clyde) and daughter Yvonne (Mara Lane), arrive for their holiday, expecting peace and quiet, they find themselves caught up in a series of farcical situations caused by their hosts.

Cast

Critical reception

TV Guide called it "A tedious comedy";[2] Britmovie called it a "Minor farce";[3] while Sky Movies wrote, "Producer Anatole de Grunwald adapted the stage play by M J Farrell and John Perry in an enjoyably straightforward way. Director John Paddy Cartairs handles the film with appropriate vitality, making the most of the basically conventional stage Irish characters. Martita Hunt and Athene Seyler stand out in a large cast, among whom are such familiar faces as Miles Malleson, Alfie Bass and Hammer Films regular Michael Ripper."[4]

References
  1. BFI.org
  2. "Treasure Hunt".
  3. "Treasure Hunt_1952 | Britmovie | Home of British Films". www.britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010.
  4. "Treasure Hunt". www.sky.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016.


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