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The Oracle (film)

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Wikipedia article




'The Oracle' (known as 'The Horse's Mouth' in the United States ) is a 1953 British comedy film directed by C.M. Pennington-Richards and starring Robert Beatty, Michael Medwin and Virginia McKenna. The screenplay concerns a journalist who goes on holiday to Ireland where he encounters a fortune-teller.

Production



It was based on a radio play 'To Tell You the Truth' by Robert Barr. It was shot at Southall Studios on a budget of 43,000.Chibnall & McFarlane p.116

Plot



Timothy Blake (Michael Medwin), a British reporter holidaying on a remote island offshore of Ireland, hears a man's voice coming from the bottom of a well. The voice turns out to be a modern-day Oracle, or fortune teller, whose predictions prove uncannily accurate. Bob is determined to get a story out of this, but his editor is less enthusiastic and promptly fires him. The newfound publicity though, means the once-sleepy Irish village is now invaded by curiosity seekers, and those seeking the horse racing results.

Cast



* Robert Beatty as Bob Jefferson

* Michael Medwin as Timothy Blake

* Virginia McKenna as Shelagh

* Mervyn Johns as Tom Mitchum

* Arthur Macrae as Alan Digby

* Gillian Lind as Jane Bond

* Ursula Howells as Peggy

* Louise Hampton as Miss Turner

* John Charlesworth as Denis

* Joseph Tomelty as Terry Roche

* Lockwood West as Adams

* Maire O'Neill as Mrs Lenham

* John McBride as Mick

* Derek Tansley as Idiot Boy

* Patrick McAlinney as O'Keefe

* Lionel Marson as Announcer

* Jean St. Clair as Young Girl

* Jack May as Old Man

* Gilbert Harding as Voice of the Oracle

Critical reception



'Allmovie' called it "A lesser comedy of the Ealing school (though not from the Ealing studios)"; the 'Radio Times' called it a "piffling comedy in which whimsy is heaped on to make up for the absence of genuine humour"; but 'Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings' thought more highly of the piece, whilst acknowledging "This is no classic, but its pleasant and has a little meat on its bones," and concluding the film was "Worth a look."

References





Bibliography



* Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. 'The British 'B' Film'. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.

* Harper, Sue & Porter, Vincent. 'British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference'. Oxford University Press, 2007.


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