MovieChat Forums > Genevieve (1954) Discussion > R.I.P. Dinah Sheridan 1920-2012

R.I.P. Dinah Sheridan 1920-2012

posted 11 years ago by hobnob53
7 replies | jump to latest

Sad news this morning that Dinah Sheridan has passed away at the age of 92.

A beautiful and talented actress whose misfortune was to marry a man (the chairman of the Rank Organisation) who selfishly demanded she give up her career, just as she had finally been elevated to the top rank [sic] of British movie stars following Genevieve and The Sound Barrier. Think of all the great performances she never gave because she went along with his insistence on controlling her life, a decision she soon came to regret. Eventually Miss Sheridan returned to acting, in the 1970s and beyond, but many irreplaceable years had been lost. Fortunately, we have the performances she was able to give to enjoy for all time.

Miss Sheridan was by many years the last surviving member of the cast of Genevieve, which may be fitting given the fact that she was never able to capitalize on the film's success. But their work, like the film, has stood the test of time.

Rest in peace. September 17, 1920 - November 25, 2012.

[–] OswaldshotKennedy 11 years ago

Yes, hob, R.I.P Dinah Sheridan.
I am not so sure that "Genevieve" stands the test of time. I used to like it but the last time I watched it the music grated, and Kenneth More irritated me no end.

"The internet is for lonely people. People should live." Charlton Heston

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

Oh, I don't know, Os. Most people think it holds up. I rather like it, and it's not even in my country. My wife likes seeing the fairly empty London streets of 1953. But I suppose one must have the suitable turn of mind.

John Gregson irritated me, not Kenneth More. How could anyone be so interminably dense?! I also find it fun that he had the male lead in a film about vintage car owners when he himself couldn't drive. He learned to drive "Genevieve" for the movie, but never learned to drive contemporary cars.

I always thought the idea for the harmonica music was inspired by the zither music in The Third Man. The harmonica player was Larry Adler, who had just gone to Britain after being blacklisted in the US after admitting past membership in the Communist Party. He had been a big musical star in America, just playing the harmonica. Anyway, when Genevieve opened in the US in 1954, Universal-International, the film's US distributor, removed his name from the credits, so that the only music credit went to Muir Mathieson. When Adler's score was nominated for an Oscar, it was credited to Mathieson -- and he won! I have no idea whether he ever gave the statuette to Adler, or whether the Academy ever gave Adler his deserved award. But most of the people who voted for the award probably knew who really wrote (and performed) it, and this was their way of paying tribute to the exiled Adler.

[–] OswaldshotKennedy 11 years ago

Hey, hob, thanks for that mate. I didn't know that info about Larry Adler ... very interesting.
The more I look at Kenneth More's movies from the 50s, the more I realise what a fussy little bully he always seemed to play, hob.

"The internet is for lonely people. People should live." Charlton Heston

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

My word, my friend, you're dismaying me no end!!

KM was a favorite even here in America in the 50s. He always resisted Hollywood, even though he could have made a lot more money. The odd thing to me is that he was nearly 40 when he finally hit stardom. Apparently he realized his limitations and kept to parts he thought he could do better than others -- hence all those "stiff upper lip" roles. I like him in Genevieve and Doctor in the House and other comedies but I prefer his "officer" roles -- A Night to Remember, Sink the Bismarck and my personal favorite, North West Frontier. I'd like to see him in the 1955 drama The Deep Blue Sea, which was recently revived on stage in NYC. He got a BAFTA nomination as best actor, a year after winning it for Doctor. I've never seen it.

He was also good as the smart-aleck co-pilot in the 1951 James Stewart film No Highway in the Sky (UK: No Highway, like Nevil Shute's novel). Amazingly, he and Niall McGinness, as the pilot, were both unbilled (as were many other major actors) in this movie, one of the most egregious instances of ignoring an actor in a film's credits that I've ever seen.

More's film career basically collapsed after the early 60s, but he returned for a few scattered roles years later, the best of which by far was a 1968 film called Dark of the Sun (The Mercenaries in Britain), starring Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux. It's a pretty exciting adventure film set in an African nation torn by civil war, rather grim actually, and More as an alcoholic doctor is quite good. But one film I've never fully gotten into is Reach for the Sky, even though I know Douglas Bader was such an inspiration to a lot of people in Britain. More was good but the character, real-life notwithstanding, never appealed much to me. (Sorry!) But Bader delivered the eulogy at the memorial service for More in 1982, only a few weeks before his own death.

I've also heard that More liked his drink, so that makes him all right in my book! Assuming I ever write a book.

[–] Jason_Radley 11 years ago

Anyway, when Genevieve opened in the US in 1954, Universal-International, the film's US distributor, removed his name from the credits, so that the only music credit went to Muir Mathieson. When Adler's score was nominated for an Oscar, it was credited to Mathieson -- and he won! I have no idea whether he ever gave the statuette to Adler.

It didn't win.

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

Quite right, and I don't know why I said that, since the score that did win was one of the most famous in Hollywood history, and by my favorite film composer -- Dimitri Tiomkin for The High and the Mighty. Thanks for pointing out the error.

[–] Michael71 9 years ago

She was gorgeous on this film, RIP miss Sheridan