Made in Heaven (1952) – Nostalgia Central

The historic and picturesque English market town of Dunmow is famous for the Dunmow Flitch Trial – a test to find a married couple whose marriage is “made in heaven” by proving they have had thoughts of no other for a year and a day.

The winning couple receive a ‘flitch’ (a side of bacon), which is especially welcome and hard to come by during the post-war era.

The Tophams have lived in Great Dunmow (Essex) for fifteen years, but are still seen as outsiders by the Dunmow traditionalists, especially Miss Rosabelle Honeycroft (Athene Seyler), the domineering elder sister of the mild-mannered vicar, Hayworth Honeycroft (Richard Wattis).

That is why Miss Honeycroft is so irked that Marjorie Topham (Sophie Stewart) has nominated her son, Basil (David Tomlinson) and his wife, Julie (Petula Clark), as the only entrants in this year’s Flitch.

Since marrying one year ago, Basil and Julie’s newly married life has been far from perfect – they live with Basil’s parents, Marjorie and Aubrey (Charles Victor), and Basil’s grandfather, Hillary Topham (A.E. Matthews), while their house is being built by local contractor Stanley Grimes (Philip Stainton), who seems in no hurry to get the job done.

It’s all a little too cosy for Julie’s tastes.

The lives of the Tophams – and of all the men in town – are turned upside down with the arrival of the Tophams’ new maid, the exotically beautiful Marta (Sonja Ziemann), a Hungarian who has ulterior motives for wanting the job and who has expensive and refined tastes.

Basil and Aubrey are both as captivated by Marta as any man in town, which doesn’t sit well with Julie.

Miss Honeycroft’s attempts to disqualify Basil and Julie from the Flitch, and the last-minute theft of the bacon by a gipsy add to the confusion as the trial proceeds.

It’s a typically frothy British comedy of the early Fifties, distinguished by its beautiful Technicolor photography. It’s quite good fun too.

Basil Topham
David Tomlinson
Julie Topham
Petula Clark
Marta
Sonja Ziemann
Hillary Topham
A.E. Matthews
Aubrey Topham
Charles Victor
Marjorie Topham
Sophie Stewart
Stanley Grimes
Philip Stainton
Hayworth Honeycroft
Richard Wattis
Bert Jenkins
Alfie Bass
Ethel Jenkins
Dora Bryan
István
Ferdy Mayne
Sgt. Marne
Michael Brennan
Miss Rosabelle Honeycroft
Athene Seyler

Director
John Paddy Carstairs