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The Gentle Sex

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Wikipedia article




'The Gentle Sex' is a 1943 British black-and-white romantic comedy-drama war film, directed and narrated by Leslie Howard. It was produced by Concanen Productions, Two Cities Films, and Derrick de Marney. 'The Gentle Sex' was Howard's last film before his death.

Synopsis



The documentary-drama follows seven women from different backgrounds who meet at an Auxiliary Territorial Service training camp. "Gentle" British girls, they are now doing their bit to help out in World War II: driving lorries and manning ack-ack batteries. Leslie Howard provides ironic narration throughout the film.

Cast



Best source is at [http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6aaf2058 BFI]:

ATS volunteers

* Joan Gates as Gwen Hayden

* Jean Gillie as Dot Hopkins

* Joan Greenwood as Betty Miller

* Joyce Howard as Anne Lawrence

* Rosamund John as Maggie Fraser

* Lilli Palmer as Erna Debruski

* Barbara Waring as Joan Simpson

Other characters

* John Justin as Flying Officer David Sheridan

* Mary Jerrold as Mrs Sheridan

* John Laurie as Corporal Alexander Balfour

* Elliott Mason as Mrs Fraser

* Harry Welchman as Captain Ferrier

* Miles Malleson as train guard

* Jimmy Hanley as first soldier on train

* Meriel Forbes as Davis, junior commander

* Rosalyn Boulter as Sally, telephonist

* Tony Bazell as Ted

* Frederick Leister as Colonel Lawrence

* Everley Gregg as Miss Simpson

* Noreen Craven as convoy sergeant

* Frederick Peisley as second soldier on train

* Ronald Shiner (as Ronnie Shiner) as the racing punter in the pub

* Roland Pertwee as captain

* Nicholas Stuart (actor) as Canadian private

* Frank Atkinson (actor) as lorry driver

* Peter Cotes as Taffy

* Maud Dunham as Mrs Miller

* Leslie Howard as narrator ("observations of a mere man")

* and various appearances by members of HM Forces

Box office



'Kinematograph Weekly' listed a series of films that were "runners up" in its survey of the most popular films in Britain in 1943: 'The Gentle Sex', 'The Lamp Still Burns', 'Dear Octopus' and 'The Adventures of Tartu'.

Critical reception



TV Guide noted "some lucid and funny moments in a capable and intelligent production for its time"; and Billy Mowbray wrote, for Film 4, "if only social history was this good at school. Funny, fascinating and probably unlike any film you've seen before, 'The Gentle Sex' is a bona fide cultural treasure."

References



Further reading



* Lejeune, C. A. (1947) 'Chestnuts in her Lap'. London: "Mdchen in Uniform: The Gentle Sex", pp. 9596


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