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Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven
	Original British 3-sheet poster
Directed by	John Paddy Carstairs
Screenplay by	George H. Brown ; William Douglas-Home
Produced by	George H. Brown
Starring	David Tomlinson; Petula Clark; Sonja Ziemann; A. E. Matthews
Cinematography	Geoffrey Unsworth
Edited by	John D. Guthridge
Music by	Philip Martell (musical director); Ronald Hanmer (composer)
Production; company	Fanfare Productions
Distributed by	General Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	November 1952; (UK)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Made in Heaven is a 1952 British Technicolor comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs which stars David Tomlinson, Petula Clark and Sonja Ziemann.^[1]^[2]^[3] The screenplay was by George H. Brown and William Douglas-Home.

Plot summary

Young married couple Basil and Julie Topham enter the ancient annual Dunmow Flitch Trials (in which a married couple can win a side of bacon if at the end of one year, they have 'not wisht themselves unmarried again'). However, the Tophams' happy household, and then an entire village is thrown into chaos with the arrival of an attractive Hungarian housemaid.

Cast

David Tomlinson as Basil Topham
Petula Clark as Julie Topham
Sonja Ziemann as Marta
A. E. Matthews as Hillary Topham (Grandpa)
Charles Victor as Aubrey Topham
Sophie Stewart as Marjorie Topham
Philip Stainton as Stanley Grimes
Richard Wattis as Hayworth Honeycroft, the vicar
Michael Brennan as Sergeant Marne
Alfie Bass as Bert Jenkins
Dora Bryan as Ethel Jenkins
Ferdy Mayne as István
Athene Seyler as Miss Rosabelle Honeycroft (the vicar's sister)
Harold Kasket as the fat man
George Bishop as the bishop
Margot Lister as bishop's Wife
John Warren as Keeper of the Wheel
Ronnie Stevens as TV announcer
Gilbert Davis as TV gent
Stuart Latham as porter
Vernon Morris as Dick
Vincent Ball as man at party

Production

It was shot at Pinewood Studios outside London. The film's sets were designed by the art director Maurice Carter.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A simple-minded comedy giving a curious view of the English middle classes, who are always dressing up, for the Flitch contest, for square daricing, for amateur theatricals. These antics make the players look foolish but not, unfortunately, funny. Some time-worn jokes – mainly struggles with the English language – a pleasant, bumbling performance from A. E. Matthews, and a general failure to achieve the requisite lightness of touch. "^[4]

Picturegoer wrote, ". . .when you get down to analysing the ingredients, it's just cream-puff comedy, really – and the least bit stale cream puff at that. The main thing though is not to analyse but to swallow it whole and enjoy it. It's well-tried and not always especially true British comedy, but the film has a happy air about it. Attractively grown-up Pet Clark turns in a sparkling performance as the doubting young wife. She manages to hold her own against the devastating eyelashes and flashing, wicked smiles of Sonja Ziemann as the hired help. But it's the old hands at this kind of comedy who really carry the fun along: David Tomlinson, Charles Victor and A. E. Matthews, as son, father and grandfather respectively, all stock characters. Yes it's all gay and merry. It has a springtime spirit – and a springtime look, too in its spruce, sunny Technicolour."^[5]

The Radio Times concluded, "Vicar Richard Wattis and his stern sister (Athene Seyler) add considerably to the fun, which is steadily directed in an amiably sitcom-like way by John Paddy Carstairs and glossily photographed by Geoffrey Unsworth."^[6]