Indiscreet **** (1958, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Cecil Parker, David Kossoff, Phyllis Calvert, Megs Jenkins) – Classic Movie Review 3083

Producer-director Stanley Donen’s 1958 British-made Technicolor romantic comedy Indiscreet is glitzy fluff, filmed where it is set in London. It finds the ideal star pairing in Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, who put polish on the piece.

Grant plays suave playboy financier Philip Adams who meets unlucky-in-love theatre actress Anna Kalman (Bergman) and lies to her that he is married. Cecil Parker also stars as Anna’s brother-in-law, diplomat Alfred Munson, a work acquaintance of Philip’s. Anna meets Philip via Alfred, is captivated by him and suggests they go on a date. Philip says he is separated and cannot get a divorce from his wife, but she still asks him out, and soon they fall in love. But then Philip receives a work notice to relocate New York, setting the cat among the pigeons.

The amusing, bubbly screenplay is written by Norman Krasna, skilfully adapting his own play Kind Sir for Broadway, where the leads were Charles Boyer and Mary Martin. Krasna agreed to make needed changes from the play, although, when theatre producer Joshua Logan saw the movie expecting to find it different from the play, he said he was surprised to find it ‘verbatim’. The film is gossamer thin escapist, but the polished work from the top talent makes it work so smoothly.

The film expertly rejigs the characters to suit the special charms of Grant and Bergman, once so differently teamed in the dark world of Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious. And it’s mainly their charismatic comic performances that elevate the escapist movie near to top class. However, the British support cast is excellent, particularly David Kossoff as the elderly caretaker/ chauffeur Carl, but also Phyllis Calvert as Anna’s sister Margaret, Megs Jenkins as Doris Banks and Oliver Johnston.

Also in the cast are Michael Anthony, Middleton Woods, Frank Hawkins, Richard Vernon, Eric Francis and Diana Clare.

The opening credits appear as if they are engraved on calling cards.

Indiscreet is one of the first films to use split screens.

It is remade for TV in 1988 with Robert Wagner and Lesley-Anne Down.

The Players’ Club scenes are filmed at London’s Garrick Club, who agreed to filming there as long as the name was not used.

Krasna offered to buy the rights for $10,000 without telling his fellow producers that he had lined up Grant and Bergman.

It was a hit, taking $8 million at the US box office, and landing in the top 10 British box office hits of 1958.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3083

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