Summary
Busman's Honeymoon (US: Haunted Honeymoon)[1] is a 1940 British detective film directed by Arthur B. Woods.[3] An adaptation of the 1937 Lord Peter Wimsey novel Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers, Busman's Honeymoon stars Robert Montgomery, Constance Cummings, Leslie Banks, Googie Withers, Robert Newton and Seymour Hicks as Mervyn Bunter. [Note 1]
| Busman's Honeymoon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Arthur B. Woods |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | 1936 play Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers Muriel St. Clare Byrne |
| Produced by | Harold Huth Ben Goetz |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Freddie Young |
| Edited by |
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| Music by |
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Production company | |
| Distributed by | Loew's Inc.[1] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot edit
Newly married amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey and his wife, mystery writer Harriet Vane, are looking forward to a quiet honeymoon at their new country cottage when they are reluctantly drawn into the investigation of a local murder.
Cast edit
- Robert Montgomery as Lord Peter Wimsey
- Constance Cummings as Harriet Vane
- Sir Seymour Hicks as Mervyn Bunter
- Leslie Banks as Inspector Andrew Kirk
- Robert Newton as Frank Crutchley
- Googie Withers as Polly
- Frank Pettingell as William George Puffett, The Sweep
- Joan Kemp-Welch as Aggie Twitterton
- Aubrey Mallalieu as Reverend Simon Goodacre
- James Carney as Constable Tom Sellon
- Roy Emerton as Noakes
- Louise Hampton as Mrs. Doris Ruddle
- Eliot Makeham as Simpson
- Reginald Purdell as MacBride
- Allan Whittaker as The Doctor
- Ben Williams as Town Inspector
Production edit
Location shooting on Busman's Honeymoon began 4 August 1939 with Richard Thorpe as the original director. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the film was "shelved" until March 1940 with Arthur B. Woods appointed as director.[5] Principal photography took place from 21 March to mid-April 1940 at Denham Studios, as well as other locations in England.[6]
Critical reception edit
Film critic Bosley Crowther in his review of Haunted Honeymoon, wrote in The New York Times, "Seldom has there been a film so pleasantly conducive to browsing as this leisurely, bookish fable of murder in Devonshire; not of late has there been one so steeped in the genteel tradition of British crime literature. A glass of port, at least, should be taken along with it."[7]
In a modern review, Britmovie wrote, "Americans Robert Montgomery and Constance Cummings aroused some national indignation when cast as such the essentially British sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey and his crime-writing bride Harriet Vane but they acquitted themselves satisfactorily, even though some of their thunder is stolen by a particularly colourful supporting cast that includes a morose Robert Newton, Seymour Hicks resourceful butler, Leslie Banks and Googie Withers".[8]
References edit
Notes edit
Citations edit
- ^ a b Haunted Honeymoon at the American Film Institute Catalog
- ^ Heiman, Sarah. "Articles: 'Haunted Honeymoon' (1940)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ^ "Film details: "Busman's Honeymoon' (1940)." BFI. Retrieved: 24 August 2016.
- ^ Maltin 1994, p. 622.
- ^ "Trivia: 'Haunted Honeymoon' (1940)." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: 24 August 2016.
- ^ "Original print information: 'Haunted Honeymoon' (1940)." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: 24 August 2016.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (31 October 1940). "'Haunted Honeymoon,' a leisurely English mystery film, at Loew's Criterion". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Films: 'Busman's Honeymoon'." Archived 3 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine britmovie.co.uk, 2016. Retrieved: 24 August 2016.
Bibliography edit
- Maltin, Leonard. Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia. New York: Dutton, 1994. ISBN 0-525-93635-1.
External links edit
- Haunted Honeymoon (1940) at the TCM Movie Database
- Busman's Honeymoon at IMDb
- Busman's Honeymoon at AllMovie
- Haunted-Honeymoon at the American Film Institute Catalog
