Dear Mr. Prohack (Original title)Mr. Prohack (Working title)Dear Mister Prohack (Help search title)Dear Mr Prohack (Help search title)Dear Mr.Prohack (Help search title)
Dates: 1949 (Copyright), 10 October 1949 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Thornton Freeland
Synopsis: Comedy. High-up Treasury official Arthur Prohack is known for keeping a firm control on the handling of public money, by economising wherever possible. When he comes into an inherited fortune of a quarter of a million pounds, though, he has no idea how to cope with his personal wealth. He invests unwisely (in partnerships with his son, and with a businessman he knows), he goes along with his wife Eve's spending on a grand new house and lifestyle, and he falls out with his daughter Mary, who is in involved in a theatre group (which Prohack is also funding) and who would rather be poor than be told what to do by her parents. Prohack's life and business are managed to a large extent by his new private secretary, Mimi Warburton, whom he meets when their cars have a crash. Mimi and Arthur's son Charles take a shine to each other, which complicates things. Further complications arise from Prohack senior's and junior's respective relationships with Lady Maslam, a monacle-wearing, enigmatic woman of business. Prohack falls ill, and, while listening to 'Ivanhoe' on the radio, has a surreal dream in which he, a knight in armour, must deal with the chaos that now surrounds his modern life. When the stock market drops dramatically, Prohack is glad to think he will be poor again. He learns, though, that one of the schemes he has invested in has unexpectedly made a large profit from his other losses, and his fortune is regained. He donates it anonymously to the Treasury, agreeing it must be from a black-marketeer with a guilty conscience.
Genre: Comedy
Subjects: Wills, Treasury, Money
Releases
Date: 25 August 1949Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 85 mins Length: 8190 FeetDialogue (original): English
Dates: 1949 (Copyright), 10 October 1949 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Thornton Freeland
Synopsis: Comedy. High-up Treasury official Arthur Prohack is known for keeping a firm control on the handling of public money, by economising wherever possible. When he comes into an inherited fortune of a quarter of a million pounds, though, he has no idea how to cope with his personal wealth. He invests unwisely (in partnerships with his son, and with a businessman he knows), he goes along with his wife Eve's spending on a grand new house and lifestyle, and he falls out with his daughter Mary, who is in involved in a theatre group (which Prohack is also funding) and who would rather be poor than be told what to do by her parents. Prohack's life and business are managed to a large extent by his new private secretary, Mimi Warburton, whom he meets when their cars have a crash. Mimi and Arthur's son Charles take a shine to each other, which complicates things. Further complications arise from Prohack senior's and junior's respective relationships with Lady Maslam, a monacle-wearing, enigmatic woman of business. Prohack falls ill, and, while listening to 'Ivanhoe' on the radio, has a surreal dream in which he, a knight in armour, must deal with the chaos that now surrounds his modern life. When the stock market drops dramatically, Prohack is glad to think he will be poor again. He learns, though, that one of the schemes he has invested in has unexpectedly made a large profit from his other losses, and his fortune is regained. He donates it anonymously to the Treasury, agreeing it must be from a black-marketeer with a guilty conscience.
Genre: Comedy
Subjects: Wills, Treasury, Money
Releases
Date: 25 August 1949Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 85 mins Length: 8190 FeetDialogue (original): English
Credits
(60)
©: Pinewood Films Ltd, Production Company: Wessex Film Production, Presents: J. Arthur Rank, Released Through: General Film Distributors Ltd, Produced by: Ian Dalrymple, Associate Producer [Casting]: Dennis Van Thal, Production Manager: Raymond Anzarut, [Production Assistant]: R.L.M. Davidson, [Production Secretary]: Pamela Weaver, "The Dream" Director: Desmond Davis, Assistant Director: Geoffrey Lambert, 2nd Assistant Director: Eddie Pike, 3rd Assistant Director: Max Varnel, Continuity: Pauline Roberts, Assistant Continuity: Jean Hall, Screenplay by: Ian Dalrymple, Donald Bull, Adapted for today from the novel 'Mr. Prohack' by: Arnold Bennett, And [adapted] from the play by: Arnold Bennett, Edward Knoblock, Photography: H.E. Fowle, Camera Operator: Nigel Huke, Focus Puller: Jack Lowin, Stills Photography: Max Rosher, Special Effects: Francis Carver, Effects Cameraman: Bryan Langley, Film Editor: Sidney Stone, Assistant Editor: Bill Lenny, 2nd Assistant Editor: Humphrey Fisher, Art Director: Fred Pusey, Assistant Art Director: John Harman, Set Dresser: Anthony Farmer, Chief Draughtsman: Geoffrey Drake, Draughtsman: C.A. Robertson, Draughtsman: Len Fox, Draughtsman: Richard Henry, Alan Smith, Sketch Artist: Bill Lane, Chief Construction Manager: Ted Hughes, Costume Designer: Beatrice Dawson, Costume Supervisor: Evelyn Brierley, Ladies Wardrobe Supervisor: Dorothy Edwards, Men's Wardrobe Supervisor: Bob Raynor, Make-up: Jim Hydes, Additional Make-up: Eric Carter, Jim Rance, Hairdressing: Betty Baugh, Additional Hairdresser: Biddy Chrystal, Audrey Powell, Musical Score Composed by: Temple Abady, [Music] Directed and Conducted by: Muir Mathieson, Sound Mixer: Stan Lambourne, Boom Operator: George Paternoster, Dubbing Mixer: Gordon Mccallum, 1st Assistant Dubbing Mixer: Peter T. Davies, Sound Editor: Peter Seabourne, Sound System: Western Electric Recording, Publicity Director: Joy Raymond, Made at: Pinewood Studios
Cast
(32)
Cecil Parker (Arthur Prohack), Glynis Johns (Mimi Warburton), Hermione Baddeley (Eve Prohack), Dirk Bogarde (Charles Prohack), Sheila Sim (Mary Prohack), Heather Thatcher (Lady Maslam), Frances Waring (nursie), Charles Goldner (Polish manservant), Elwyn Brook-Jones (Mr Erivangian), Campbell Cotts (Sir Paul Spinner), Denholm Elliott (Oswald Morfrey, 'Ozzie'), Russell Waters (Cartwright), Henry Edwards (Sir Digby Bunce), Frederick Valk (Dr Veiga), James Hayter (Carrell Quire), Frederick Leister (director general), Judith Furse (Laura Postern), Bryan Forbes (Tony), Jon Pertwee (Plover), Ada Reeve (Mrs Griggs), Ian Carmichael (the hatter), Lloyd Pearson (Softly Bishop), Eric Berry (tailor's assistant), Sam Lysons (club porter), Jerry Verno (taxi driver), Charles Perry (the butler), Janet Burnell (Mr Prohack's personal assistant), Desmond Newling (pageboy), Natalie Jordan (switchboard operator), Stanelli (leader of the orchestra), Humphrey Heathcote (Turkish bath attendant), Ann Gunning (actress on ladder)