Trio *** (1950, James Hayter, Michael Hordern, Anne Crawford, Nigel Patrick, Jean Simmons, Michael Rennie, Kathleen Harrison, Felix Aylmer) – Classic Movie Review 10,076

Directors Ken Annakin and Harold French’s 1950 drama Trio is the second W Somerset Maugham anthology film (after Quartet, a hit in 1948), with three well cast, amusing and satisfyingly enjoyable yarns. The three short stories, The Verger, Mr Know-All and The Sanatorium, are introduced by the author.

It opens with The Verger, in which the long-serving illiterate verger, Albert Foreman (James Hayter) is sacked by the Vicar (Michael Hordern) for being too set in his ways to want to learn to read, but is able to get his own back years later.

Then there is the middle story Mr Know-All, in which an ocean liner’s know-all gem dealing jeweller Max Kelada (Nigel Patrick) remarks on the fine quality of the pearl necklace worn by Mrs Ramsey (Anne Crawford). Mr Ramsay (Naunton Wayne) bets him ten pounds that the pearls are fake. Kelada helps Mrs Ramsey out by admitting that he was wrong and pays Mr Ramsay.

It saves the best story till last, The Sanatorium, which has Michael Rennie and Jean Simmons starring as TB sanatorium patients Major Templeton and Evie Bishop, who meet and marry, even though they know imminent death is possible.

Trio is a purring, old-style entertainment spurred by sleek performances and smooth direction in all three stories. Annakin directed the first two segments, and French the last one (The Sanatorium).

A third anthology film, Encore, followed in 1951.

The Verger cast are James Hayter as Albert Foreman, Kathleen Harrison as Emma Foreman (née Brown), Michael Hordern as the vicar, Felix Aylmer as the bank manager, Lana Morris as Gladys, Emma’s daughter and Glyn Houston as Ted, Gladys’ husband.

The Mr Know-All cast are Nigel Patrick as Max Kelada, Wilfrid Hyde White as Mr. Gray, Anne Crawford as Mrs. Ramsay, Naunton Wayne as Mr. Ramsay, Clive Morton as the ship’s captain, and Bill Travers (credited as Bill Linden-Travers) as Fellowes.

The Sanatorium cast are Michael Rennie as Major George Templeton, Jean Simmons as Evie Bishop, Roland Culver as Mr. Ashenden, André Morell as Dr. Lennox, John Laurie as Mr. Campbell, Finlay Currie as Mr. McLeod, Raymond Huntley as Mr. Chester and Betty Ann Davies as Mrs. Chester.

Also in the cast are Henry Edwards, Eliot Makeham, Harry Fowler, Michael Medwin, Clive Morton,, Dennis Harkins, Mary Merrall, Marjorie Fielding, Joan Schofield, Michael Ward, Kynaston Reeves, Shelagh Fraser, David Hannaford, Joan Marion and Andrew Crawford.

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound, Recording (Cyril Crowhurst).

It is the final film released by Gainsborough Pictures.

Trio is directed by Ken Annakin and Harold French, runs 91 minutes, is made by Gainsborough Pictures, is released by General Film Distributors (UK) and Paramount Pictures (US), is written by W Somerset Maugham (screenplay and stories), R C Sherriff and Noel Langley, is shot in black and white by Reginald H Wyer and Geoffrey Unsworth, is produced by Antony Darnborough and is scored by John Greenwood, with Art Direction by Maurice Carter.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,076

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