THE WOMAN'S ANGLE

Associated British Pictures Corp LTD
Presents a Leslie Arliss-Bow Bells Production

Starring Cathy O’Donnell, Lois Maxwell, Claude Farell, and Edward Underdown. With Peter Reynolds, Marjorie Fielding, Isabel Dean, Anthony Nicholls, John Bentley, and Olaf Poole

and Joan Collins as Marina

Screenplay by Leslie Arliss. Adapted by Diana Morgan. Music by Robert Gill & Mabbie Poole Produced by Walter Mycroft. Director of Photography: Erwin Hillier. Directed by Leslie Arliss.

Robert Mansell is seeking a divorce from his wife Enid. During the divorce proceedings and a series of flashbacks, we discover that Robert has had dalliances with two other women. Nina a woman he met while on a vacation at a ski resort with his mistress Delsya, a famous ballerina. Will Enid give Robert his divorce? Will Delsya insist he go off with her? Will Nina finally get her man? Find out in “The Woman’s Angle”. See Joan Collins as a Greek maid!

The Woman’s Angle made in 1952 was Joan's second film appearance. While she gets a little more screen time than in the previous years “Lady Godiva Rides Again,” she still gets no dialogue. She plays the part of an overworked girl named Marina who lives on a Greek island with her father Stefano, who owns an inn/hotel. She can be seen running in and out of the inn at her fathers beck and call. Marina seems to be the only help her father has on the island and even has to carry the guests heavy luggage! Even though Joan has no dialogue, her fleeting appearance shows a fiery spark and vitality and it makes you want to see more of her. The film as a whole is typical fifties British movie making. The plot a bit risqué for fifties audiences with its themes of divorces and affairs. The flimsy plot dressed up with a romantic series of flashbacks linked by a divorce court hearing scenario.

Viewed today, it is ideal Saturday matinee fodder. It’s only redeeming feature for us is an early glimpse of Joan who we now know went on to greater things and a fabulous, enduring career. The same can't be said of the other members of the cast, apart from Lois Maxwell, who will be forever associated with her role of Miss Moneypenny in the iconic James Bond movie series. Joan was paid fifty pounds for her two day stint at Elstree studios. On it’s release in the USA in 1954, it was slated by NY Times critic, Bosley Crowther, who wrote.“ The Woman’s Angle, a baffling little British exercise on the subject of masculine behaviour. It is also a mildly vexing picture, a grim little sample of bad writing, bad acting and bad directing all around”. © 1952 ABP LTD.

© 2010 Mark Mc Morrow