Holy Matrimony (1943)

By CinemaSerf

Monty Woolley is on great form here as the celebrated artist "Priam Farll" (surely that's got to be an anagram of something?) who is mistakenly attributed dead (instead of his valet). Quite content, he basks in the lack of limelight and forges a new life for himself and new wife "Alice" (Gracie Fields). Money starts to get a bit tight, though, and his wife tries to sell one of his lately painted works. The dealer immediately identifies this as a genuine "Farll" and collector "Lady Vale" (Ethel Griffies) is soon collecting them. Of course, it doesn't take long for someone to spot that one of the paintings contains a depiction that did not occur until after the artist was supposed to have died. Allegations of fraud and fakery abound, culminating in a court case that - much like with "Witness for the Prosecution" (1957) is entirely stolen by the charming contribution of Una O'Connor. As you'd expect of an adaption from an Arnold Bennett story, there is humour a-plenty in the script, and Woolley delivers consistently and well. It also takes a pretty potent punt at the somewhat pompous art-dealing community, and at collectors with way more money than sense, too. A small, tight cast of supporting old pros chip in well to make this well worth a watch.