Travellers Joy

Synopsis

With extensive restrictions on how much foreign exchange British travelers can take outside the realm (then £5), a variety of English men and women are trapped in expensive Sweden. These include Bumble and her estranged husband Reggie.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a West End play by Andrew Macrae about Englishmen travelling in Europe and the problems experienced by them due to post-war currency restrictions. It premiered at the Criterion on 2 June 1948 starring Yvonne Arnaud and produced by Hugh Beaumont; it was a smash hit, running for two years. Clement Attlee saw the play while he was Prime Minister.

Sydney Box bought the film rights while head of Gainsborough Pictures. The film starred John McCallum and Googie Withers, who had just gotten married. "We think, it Is an excellent idea to work together," said John. It was the first of a three-picture contract Withers signed with Sydney Box. The job of directing was given to Ralph Thomas, who had just made two comedies for Box, Once Upon a Dream and Helter Skelter.

John McCallum came down with jaundice during filming and had to take a week off. This caused filming to be suspended for a week, costing the production £12,000. However the film was completed half a day under schedule.

Release

Under the terms of the film right contracts, the movie of Traveller's Joy was not allowed to be released until the play finished running. This held up release for over two years. By the time it came out, the topicality of the subject matter had passed and the film was a box office disappointment.

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "one suspects that the stage play upon which Travellers Joy was based was slightly more subtle than the film version. Whatever the case, door-slamming farce was really not the forte of either McCallum or Withers, and before long they returned to the heavy drama they did best."