On Approval (1944)

• Year: 1944
• Released: 22 May 1944
• Country: United Kingdom
• Adwords: N/A
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037149/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/on_approval
• Metacritics:
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Approved
• Genre: Comedy
• Runtime: 80 min
• Writer: Frederick Lonsdale, Clive Brook, Terence Young
• Director: Clive Brook
• Cast: Clive Brook, Beatrice Lillie, Googie Withers
• Keywords: scotland, duke, victorian england, based on play or musical, heiress, wealthy widow,

	7.2/10
	83% – Critics
	43% – Audience

On Approval Storyline

Victorian London. George, the 10th Duke of Bristol, and his equally upper class friend Richard Halton are both broke. To live, George has had to rent out his London castle to visiting young American socialite Helen Hale. So the only way George has access to his own home is when he is invited to a party hosted by Helen. Much to George’s surprise, Richard confesses to him that he is in love from afar with and would like to marry wealthy widowed Maria Wislack, Helen’s friend who George considers a haggard, controlling, old (forty-one) shrew of a woman. Richard believes he has no chance with Maria due to the difference in their financial situations. Richard is surprised to find that Maria knows he is in love with her, she in turn attracted to him. However, to test if they will be compatible as husband and wife, Maria proposes they spend one month together in her mansion on an otherwise deserted island off the coast of Scotland, Richard who is to row to the mainland every night and row back the next morning so as to be publicly proper in their courtship. George and Helen decide to tag along to support their respective friend, although each has his/her own ulterior motive, George to live off the creature comforts in Maria’s mansion and being waited on hand and foot by her servants, and Helen to be close to George who she believes she loves. Out of circumstance, the four end up living in the island mansion together without any servants. As the month progresses, each of the four learns their true feelings, resulting in each hatching plots and subplots to achieve what he/she wants and/or to show up the others toward who ill feelings have developed.—Huggo

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On Approval Movie Reviews

A Clever Comedy Worth Seeing

“On Approval” is a comedy of manners and it delivers on its promise to delight. The dialogue is the thing–filled with insinuations, clever slights, and unabashed insults. The four leads make the most of the plot, which is about two men trying to marry into wealthier circumstances via two sisters.

One reviewer said this film is not up to Oscar Wilde’s standards. Well maybe it is too tame to be Wilde, but it is still charming and filled with plenty of caustic throw-away lines and honest insights.

I think I will have to see it more than once to fully appreciate the film because of the sheer volume of memorable lines. That’s a prospect I can bear to suffer.

Ho!

This film of Frederick Lonsdale’s play is one of my favorite movies of all time. Not because it breaks new artistic ground–it’s simply as close to being perfectly cast and perfectly executed as one can imagine. It’s Bea Lillie’s most important work on film (and as far as I can tell, except for “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, the only thing of hers available on home video….will someone PLEASE bring out “Doctor Rhythm”?), and it really does give us a sense of why she was so famous in her day. The amazing Clive Brook is her perfect foil, and Googie Withers is beautiful and utterly charming.

“On Approval” is full of small pleasures that, because of their perfection, are unforgettable. Who can forget Bea Lillie’s perfect delivery of “You will find the dinghy by the jetty.”? The bickering of Lillie and Brook (“Maria, I don’t want to speak to you, but I must.” “I don’t want to speak to you and I won’t!”) …..Googie Withers refusing a proposal of marriage by asking the color of her eyes…..Bea Lillie doing vocal exercises at the piano….I could go on endlessly. It’s exquisite fun.

Mannered, Amusing and Malicious

On Approval is an extremely amusing comedy of upper class British manners. It is wickedly malicious without being mean-spirited. The four leads play off each other flawlessly. Unfortunately, it seems to be one of those forgotten gems. The DVD release awhile back may have given it some new recognition. (And the DVD transfer is first rate.)

Clive Brook, who also wrote and directed the film, is priceless as an aristocrat who finds it entirely reasonable to take his pleasures at the expense of others. He was a major star in the Thirties, but made only one more movie, The List of Adrian Messenger, after this one. At 76 he proved he still could hold his own against all comers, including George C. Scott.