Always a Bride (1953) – Nostalgia Central

Aristocratic con man Victor Hemsley (Ronald Squire) and his daughter, Clare (Peggy Cummins), ply their trade at swanky Riviera resorts, where they pose as a newly married couple – hence the film’s title.

After he disappears “with all of her savings”, money contributions pour in from the sympathetic and wealthy guests.

Clare would prefer a more settled life and meets and falls in love with Terence Winch (Terence Morgan), an investigator for the British Treasury.

Both the guests and the management ostracise him as his job is to see that none of the British citizens spends more money than the allowance permitted by the government.

Clare agrees to work with her father on one last scheme in which they will sell the hotel in Nice, where they’re staying.

They manage to pull it off (but are paid in counterfeit money) and flee to Italy, closely followed by a police inspector (Jacques Brunius) and Terence.

James Hayter appears as Dutton, the wealthiest man on the Riviera, who is also England’s best-known tax dodger, while David Hurst is a petty thief named Beckstein who always fails, and Charles Goldner is an amorous hotel manager.

Singer Jill Day appears in her film debut, and Sebastian Cabot has a small role as a taxi driver. An uncredited Joan Sims appears briefly as a hotel guest.

Clare Hemsley
Peggy Cummins
Terence Winch
Terence Morgan
Victor Hemsley
Ronald Squire
Dutton
James Hayter
Teddy
Geoffrey Sumner
Beckstein
David Hurst
Hotel Manager
Charles Goldner
Inspector
Jacques Brunius
Singer
Jill Day
Dowager 1
Marie Lohr
Dowager 2
Mary Hinton
Taxi Driver
Sebastian Cabot
Manager
Jacques Brown
Magistrate
Dino Galvani
Roger
Eliot Makeham

Director
Ralph Smart