I don’t normally write film reviews. In fact the last time was over 10 years ago when we first started concieving the idea a small community of reviewers could offer a way to CONNECT, by sharing things they love. When I look back at the few I wrote, the films weren’t memorable and my reviews were definitely more rants than raves. I don’t sit down and watch that many these days and if I do catch one, so many other people review films so well but I did love the Ealing comedies as a kid, watching with my grandmother and her friend. Films like the Alec Guinness classics like Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Lavender Hill Mob both films I’d recommend anyone to watch interested in British cinema.

However if you are in search of a brilliant family fun classic black and white film to watch over the holidays look no further than the 1952 movie The Card starring the same Alec Guinness, Glynis Johns (best known for for her role as suffragette mother Winifred Banks in the later 1964 Mary Poppins), as Ruth Earp, Valerie Hobson who plays the countess of Chell, and Petula Clark as Nellie Cotteril, Alec Guinness’s love interest number 2.

This amazing film is an adaptation of Arnold Bennetts clever novel 1911 about social climbing in Stoke-on-Trent and is subtly directed by Ronald Neame, the screen play written by Eric Ambler. The Card, known as the Promoter in the US was nominated for an academy award for best sound. And to be honest I am surprised it didn’t receive more nominations. Just a fabulous film in so many ways.

It’s the story of a washer woman’s son Edward Henry "Denry" Machin played superbly by Alec Guinness hell bent on elevating himself both financially and socially

Whilst not technically an Ealing comedy, it was produced by British Film-Makers and distributed by General Film Distributors (a branch of the Rank Organisation), rather than Ealing Studios. Although it is often mistaken for one as it shares the "gentle," light-hearted British humour style characteristic of that era's Ealing productions. 

Alec Guinness and Glynis Johns are at their best in THE CARD, a story of an enterprising young man determined to succeed in a hard, cruel world.

It is the balance between the good natured and clever Machin opposite Ruth Earp, a vivacious and scheming dance teacher. Played hilariously by Johns. Her character is described as a "self-propelling young lady" and a "bundle of feminine guile" who operates a dancing school. In the film, she serves as a primary love interest for the protagonist, Denry, played by Guinness whom she meets while she is heavily in arrears for her rent on her dance studio. They have one thing in common to elevate their social status so Ruth agrees to coach Denry Machin to prepare him for dancing at the Grand Municipal Ball. They do eventually get engaged but Denry soon realises her spendthrift nature and manipulative tactics (very amusingly played in the film) make her a poor match for him and he moves over to Nellie Cotteril as his love interest.

Johns plays the scheming and manoeuvring female lead of Ruth Earp to a T and ends up marrying an aristocrat, who later dies leaving her a titled widow, when Denry doesn’t meet her highest of standards in a speedy enough fashion.

This role solidified Glynis Johns’ status in British cinema during the late 1940s and early 1950s, a period where she was celebrated for her "husky" voice and light comedic timing and I can see why. She’s cast perfectly in this almost blatant, hammed up role.

But the very best part of this film is how absolutely charming and funny the script is. Even today it feels clever and original, full of ingenuity and witty thought provoking lines and innuendo that drill into the darkest side of human nature in the lightest and nicest possible way.

It’s a film everyone can watch, young, old and everywhere in between and most importantly be inspired by how the impossible can become possible with ingenuity and a good idea.

Even if you are alone, down in the dumps, feeling sorry for yourself, a bit depressed, considering falling head first into a bottle of scotch or maybe even worse, this film will lift you out of the doldrums and I promise you will discover something really good about yourself within it.

True cinema magic.