Lady Godiva Rides Again
| Lady Godiva Rides Again Bikini Baby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Frank Launder |
| Produced by | Sidney Gilliat |
| Written by |
John Dighton Val Valentine |
| Starring |
Pauline Stroud Dennis Price Diana Dors |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Wilkie Cooper |
| Edited by | Thelma Connell |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release dates | 25 October 1951 |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £117,891 (UK)[1] |
Lady Godiva Rides Again, released in the United States as Bikini Baby, is a 1951 British comedy film starring Pauline Stroud, about a small-town English girl who wins a beauty contest and heads for greater fame after appearing as Lady Godiva in a pageant.
The film is most notable for the presence of actresses who were later to become famous. Diana Dors, who appears as a beauty queen, was later marketed as the film's star. It also features Joan Collins in her film debut as an uncredited beauty contestant. Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in England, also appears as an uncredited beauty queen. Ruth, who was four months pregnant at the time, had dyed her hair black and had styled it into a bob.
Other young starlets in the film included Diana Russell, Dana Wynter, Yvonne Brooks, Simone Silva, and Pat Marlowe. It also featured Sid James in one of his first film roles.
The film was inspired by the Miss Kent 1950 beauty competition held at Leas Cliff Hall in Kent. Frank Launder, joint producer of the film with Leslie Gilliatt, was one of the judges in the competition.
Cast
- Dennis Price as Simon Abott
- John McCallum as Larry Burns
- Stanley Holloway as Mr. Clark
- Pauline Stroud as Marjorie Clark
- Gladys Henson as Mrs. Clark
- Bernadette O'Farrell as Janie
- George Cole as Johnny
- Diana Dors as Dolores August
- Eddie Byrne as Eddie Mooney
- Kay Kendall as Sylvia
- Renee Houston as Beattie
- Dora Bryan as Lady in charge of publicity
- Sid James as Lew Beeson
- Tommy Duggan as Compere
- Felix Felton as Councillor
- Alastair Sim as Hawtrey Mewington
Locations
The production filmed on location in Folkestone, Kent. The Leas Cliff Hall was used as the location for the beauty competition and The Metropole, was the setting for the seaside hotel hosting the Fascination Soap Pageant. Folkestone West station features in the film for the railway scenes where Marjorie Clark (Pauline Stroud), arrives and meets Dolores August (Diana Dors). The now closed Rotunda Amusement Park was also used for the scenes where Larry (John McCallum) and Marjorie visit and go on rides.[2]
References
- ↑ Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p495
- ↑ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Lady Godiva Rides Again Article".