300:
bottle, just moments after Gerald replaces
Prudence's Thenol with aspirin. The result, then, is that Rose unwittingly trades Ted's Thenol for Gerald's aspirin. She soon becomes pregnant, and Ted tells Gerald about the pills he gave her, but says nothing about telling her they were vitamins. When Gerald asks her why her Thenol pills failed to work, she asks him how he knew about them, thinking that he has already found out about her taking Prudence's pills, at which point they both realise that she has revealed her guilt.
312:, but Prudence offers to take the blame after becoming pregnant, as long as Gerald will spare Huart's reputation. Gerald accepts this arrangement grudgingly, but before meeting with Huart, he happens to see Liz while driving through town, and she tells him she is going to have his baby. Now able to see her openly, and with a child on the way, Gerald quickly and enthusiastically agrees to an amicable divorce. A few months later, a total of six newborn babies arrive, Rose having had twins.
528:
pseudomodernity is reflected in the pastiche
Victorian Valentines of Richard Williams' title designs and in its inaccurate premise that the pill is available only to married women; and since each of its emancipated heroines manages – the pill notwithstanding – to get speedily pregnant, its portrayal of the new morality is unlikely to influence old-fashioned advocates of self-control."
31:
291:
called "Thenol", but none of them wants to admit it. Prudence, Grace, and Ted manage to acquire supplies of pills, Grace through a prescription written by Huart, and Ted from the local chemist, or pharmacist, who happens to be a friend of his. However, Grace soon becomes pregnant, because
Geraldine
307:
Eventually, Gerald gets into trouble with both Liz and
Prudence. Liz grows dissatisfied in her covert relationship with Gerald, who has been hiding her from his family, and decides to leave him. Prudence finds the letter that Liz wrote to Gerald about her decision, and Gerald finds Huart's Thenol
283:
The story revolves around a wealthy London banker named Gerald
Hardcastle and his wife Prudence, who live together unhappily, sleeping in separate bedrooms and speaking to each other only when necessary. The five couples in the film are (1) Gerald and his French mistress Elizabeth, or "Liz", (2)
299:
Meanwhile, believing that Rose is too conservative to accept contraception, Ted puts his tablets in a vitamin bottle and tells her she needs them for her health. However, Rose is worried about becoming pregnant, so she switches the pills in her vitamin bottle with the pills in
Prudence's Thenol
527:
wrote: "The only achievement of this dismal and unamusing comedy – completed by Ronald Neame after
Fielder Cook overran his schedule – is that it manages to skirt the subject of contraception for ninety-two minutes without ever once generating any genuine sexiness or human sympathy. Its
303:
Now knowing why
Prudence is still not pregnant, Gerald buys more aspirin, determined to expose her relationship with Huart. This eventually works, as do whatever measures Grace took to keep her pills away from Geraldine. By the end of the film, Geraldine and Prudence are both expecting.
284:
Prudence and her doctor, Dr. Alan Huart, (3) the
Hardcastles' maid Rose and their chauffeur Ted, (4) Gerald's brother Henry and his wife Grace, and (5) Henry and Grace's daughter Geraldine and her beau Tony Bates.
513:
According to Fox records the film required $ 6,425,000 in rentals to break even and by 11 December 1970 had made $ 7,175,000. In
September 1970 Fox reported it had made a profit on the film of $ 513,000.
296:
tablets. After Geraldine admits her pill-switching scheme to Grace and Grace tells Gerald about it, Gerald uses the scheme on Prudence to generate incriminating evidence of her affair.
833:
213:
and produced by Kenneth Harper and Ronald J. Kahn from a screenplay by Hugh Mills, based on his 1965 novel. The music score was by Bernard Ebbinghouse and the cinematography by
857:
280:
by using contraceptive pills. All of their efforts are ultimately unsuccessful, with the result that all five of the women give birth the following year.
1223:
809:
1203:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1173:
924:
865:
739:
1178:
553:
1074:
262:
was originally announced for the part eventually filled by Geeson. Mills had previously co-starred with Kerr and Evans in
1158:
1090:
841:
785:
621:
1208:
288:
1163:
1213:
1122:
793:
579:
761:
1218:
1198:
1002:
917:
732:
651:
523:
1130:
954:
646:
1034:
308:
prescription for Prudence. At first, neither Gerald nor Prudence is willing to grant the other a
264:
1168:
1098:
1050:
970:
431:
1026:
978:
910:
873:
801:
725:
690:
613:
202:
119:
962:
889:
881:
546:
Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series)
8:
1153:
1082:
1018:
849:
706:
608:
The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox
1058:
679:
617:
549:
441:
411:
606:
1114:
777:
994:
986:
902:
825:
769:
717:
712:
491:
249:
276:
The film portrays the conflicting and comical attempts by five couples to avoid
1010:
421:
1147:
1106:
684:
481:
391:
245:
101:
1042:
946:
934:
749:
461:
451:
371:
361:
351:
331:
259:
237:
233:
229:
221:
210:
206:
77:
48:
44:
695:
401:
381:
341:
253:
241:
225:
198:
81:
30:
673:
569:, 8 January 1969 p 15. This figure is a rental accruing to distributors.
471:
277:
214:
91:
701:
309:
293:
834:
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
292:
has been stealing her pills and replacing them with
932:
747:
605:
1145:
659:(408): 140. 1 January 1968 – via ProQuest.
918:
733:
548:. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989.
925:
911:
740:
726:
268:(1964), which was also directed by Neame.
29:
810:How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life
603:
584:British Film Institute Collections Search
572:
1224:English-language romantic comedy films
1146:
906:
721:
13:
16:1968 British film by Fielder Cook
14:
1235:
667:
287:All of the couples want to use a
866:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
321:
1204:Films shot at Pinewood Studios
1194:Films directed by Ronald Neame
1189:Films directed by Fielder Cook
794:A Big Hand for the Little Lady
639:
630:
597:
559:
538:
1:
1184:Films based on British novels
1174:British romantic comedy films
1075:The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
604:Silverman, Stephen M (1988).
531:
508:
1179:1960s English-language films
565:"Big Rental Films of 1968",
503:
319:
7:
517:
10:
1240:
1159:1968 romantic comedy films
941:
756:
652:The Monthly Film Bulletin
524:The Monthly Film Bulletin
182:
174:
166:
158:
148:
125:
115:
107:
97:
87:
73:
63:
55:
40:
28:
23:
186:$ 4,500,000 (US/ Canada)
1209:British pregnancy films
1123:First Monday in October
647:"Prudence and the Pill"
580:"Prudence and the Pill"
315:
271:
1164:20th Century Fox films
1091:The Poseidon Adventure
1051:A Man Could Get Killed
971:The Million Pound Note
842:Miracle on 34th Street
786:The Philadelphia Story
1214:1960s pregnancy films
1067:Prudence and the Pill
1027:I Could Go On Singing
979:The Man Who Never Was
818:Prudence and the Pill
708:Prudence and the Pill
697:Prudence and the Pill
686:Prudence and the Pill
675:Prudence and the Pill
612:. L. Stuart. p.
386:Geraldine Hardcastle
205:. It was directed by
203:Twentieth Century-Fox
194:Prudence and the Pill
134:23 May 1968
120:Twentieth Century-Fox
24:Prudence and the Pill
486:chemist's assistant
336:Prudence Hardcastle
1219:1960s British films
1199:Films set in London
1019:Escape from Zahrain
476:racetrack official
466:Gerald's secretary
406:Lady Roberta Bates
111:Bernard Ebbinghouse
933:Films directed by
748:Films directed by
691:TCM Movie Database
456:woman in tea shop
436:Ted the chauffeur
346:Gerald Hardcastle
289:birth control pill
197:is a 1968 British
1141:
1140:
1003:The Horse's Mouth
955:Golden Salamander
900:
899:
762:The Emperor Jones
554:978-0-8108-4244-1
544:Solomon, Aubrey.
501:
500:
442:Peter Butterworth
376:Grace Hardcastle
356:Henry Hardcastle
190:
189:
1231:
1035:The Chalk Garden
927:
920:
913:
904:
903:
778:Home Is the Hero
742:
735:
728:
719:
718:
661:
660:
643:
637:
634:
628:
627:
611:
601:
595:
594:
592:
590:
576:
570:
563:
557:
542:
366:Elizabeth Brett
320:
265:The Chalk Garden
141:
139:
33:
21:
20:
1239:
1238:
1234:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1228:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1137:
1099:The Odessa File
987:The Seventh Sin
937:
931:
901:
896:
826:Eagle in a Cage
752:
746:
713:Rotten Tomatoes
670:
665:
664:
645:
644:
640:
636:Silverman p 260
635:
631:
624:
602:
598:
588:
586:
578:
577:
573:
564:
560:
543:
539:
534:
520:
511:
506:
492:Michael Hordern
396:Dr. Alan Huart
318:
274:
250:Michael Hordern
220:The film stars
151:
144:
137:
135:
128:
80:
68:
47:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1237:
1227:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1139:
1138:
1136:
1135:
1127:
1119:
1111:
1103:
1095:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1063:
1055:
1047:
1039:
1031:
1023:
1015:
1011:Tunes of Glory
1007:
999:
991:
983:
975:
967:
959:
951:
942:
939:
938:
930:
929:
922:
915:
907:
898:
897:
895:
894:
886:
878:
874:Family Reunion
870:
862:
854:
846:
838:
830:
822:
814:
806:
798:
790:
782:
774:
766:
757:
754:
753:
745:
744:
737:
730:
722:
716:
715:
704:
693:
682:
669:
668:External links
666:
663:
662:
638:
629:
622:
596:
571:
558:
536:
535:
533:
530:
519:
516:
510:
507:
505:
502:
499:
498:
495:
488:
487:
484:
478:
477:
474:
468:
467:
464:
458:
457:
454:
448:
447:
444:
438:
437:
434:
432:Hugh Armstrong
428:
427:
426:Rose the maid
424:
422:Vickery Turner
418:
417:
414:
408:
407:
404:
398:
397:
394:
388:
387:
384:
378:
377:
374:
368:
367:
364:
358:
357:
354:
348:
347:
344:
338:
337:
334:
328:
327:
324:
317:
314:
273:
270:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
176:
172:
171:
168:
164:
163:
162:United Kingdom
160:
156:
155:
152:
149:
146:
145:
143:
142:
131:
129:
126:
123:
122:
117:
116:Distributed by
113:
112:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
89:
88:Cinematography
85:
84:
75:
71:
70:
69:Ronald J. Kahn
67:Kenneth Harper
65:
61:
60:
57:
53:
52:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1236:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1169:Birth control
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1133:
1132:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1104:
1101:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1085:
1084:
1080:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1020:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1004:
1000:
997:
996:
992:
989:
988:
984:
981:
980:
976:
973:
972:
968:
965:
964:
960:
957:
956:
952:
949:
948:
944:
943:
940:
936:
928:
923:
921:
916:
914:
909:
908:
905:
892:
891:
890:Seize the Day
887:
884:
883:
879:
876:
875:
871:
868:
867:
863:
860:
859:
858:Too Far to Go
855:
852:
851:
847:
844:
843:
839:
836:
835:
831:
828:
827:
823:
820:
819:
815:
812:
811:
807:
804:
803:
799:
796:
795:
791:
788:
787:
783:
780:
779:
775:
772:
771:
767:
764:
763:
759:
758:
755:
751:
743:
738:
736:
731:
729:
724:
723:
720:
714:
710:
709:
705:
703:
699:
698:
694:
692:
688:
687:
683:
681:
677:
676:
672:
671:
658:
654:
653:
648:
642:
633:
625:
623:9780818404856
619:
615:
610:
609:
600:
585:
581:
575:
568:
562:
555:
551:
547:
541:
537:
529:
526:
525:
515:
496:
493:
490:
489:
485:
483:
482:Jonathan Lynn
480:
479:
475:
473:
470:
469:
465:
463:
460:
459:
455:
453:
450:
449:
445:
443:
440:
439:
435:
433:
430:
429:
425:
423:
420:
419:
415:
413:
410:
409:
405:
403:
400:
399:
395:
393:
392:Keith Michell
390:
389:
385:
383:
380:
379:
375:
373:
370:
369:
365:
363:
360:
359:
355:
353:
350:
349:
345:
343:
340:
339:
335:
333:
330:
329:
325:
322:
313:
311:
305:
301:
297:
295:
290:
285:
281:
279:
269:
267:
266:
261:
257:
255:
251:
247:
246:Keith Michell
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
218:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
195:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
147:
133:
132:
130:
124:
121:
118:
114:
110:
106:
103:
102:Norman Savage
100:
96:
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
72:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1131:Foreign Body
1129:
1121:
1113:
1105:
1097:
1089:
1081:
1073:
1066:
1065:
1057:
1049:
1043:Mister Moses
1041:
1033:
1025:
1017:
1009:
1001:
995:Windom's Way
993:
985:
977:
969:
961:
953:
947:Take My Life
945:
935:Ronald Neame
888:
880:
872:
864:
856:
850:Valley Forge
848:
840:
832:
824:
817:
816:
808:
800:
792:
784:
776:
768:
760:
750:Fielder Cook
707:
696:
685:
674:
656:
650:
641:
632:
607:
599:
587:. Retrieved
583:
574:
566:
561:
545:
540:
522:
521:
512:
494:(uncredited)
462:Annette Kerr
452:Moyra Fraser
412:David Dundas
372:Joyce Redman
362:Irina Demick
352:Robert Coote
332:Deborah Kerr
306:
302:
298:
286:
282:
275:
263:
260:Hayley Mills
258:
238:Joyce Redman
234:Irina Demick
230:Robert Coote
222:Deborah Kerr
219:
211:Ronald Neame
207:Fielder Cook
193:
192:
191:
150:Running time
127:Release date
78:Deborah Kerr
51:(uncredited)
49:Ronald Neame
45:Fielder Cook
18:
497:Dr. Morley
416:Tony Bates
402:Edith Evans
382:Judy Geeson
342:David Niven
254:Edith Evans
242:Judy Geeson
226:David Niven
199:comedy film
178:$ 3,570,000
82:David Niven
64:Produced by
41:Directed by
35:Film poster
1154:1968 films
1148:Categories
532:References
509:Box office
472:Harry Towb
183:Box office
154:92 minutes
138:1968-05-23
59:Hugh Mills
56:Written by
1115:Hopscotch
802:Brigadoon
589:16 August
504:Reception
278:pregnancy
215:Ted Moore
98:Edited by
92:Ted Moore
963:The Card
770:Patterns
702:AllMovie
518:Critical
446:chemist
201:made by
167:Language
108:Music by
74:Starring
1083:Scrooge
882:Why Me?
689:at the
567:Variety
310:divorce
294:aspirin
170:English
159:Country
136: (
1134:(1986)
1126:(1981)
1118:(1980)
1110:(1979)
1107:Meteor
1102:(1974)
1094:(1972)
1086:(1970)
1078:(1969)
1070:(1968)
1062:(1966)
1059:Gambit
1054:(1966)
1046:(1965)
1038:(1964)
1030:(1963)
1022:(1962)
1014:(1960)
1006:(1958)
998:(1957)
990:(1957)
982:(1956)
974:(1954)
966:(1952)
958:(1950)
950:(1947)
893:(1986)
885:(1984)
877:(1981)
869:(1979)
861:(1979)
853:(1975)
845:(1973)
837:(1973)
829:(1972)
821:(1968)
813:(1968)
805:(1966)
797:(1966)
789:(1959)
781:(1959)
773:(1956)
765:(1955)
620:
556:. p255
552:
175:Budget
326:Role
323:Actor
228:with
680:IMDb
618:ISBN
591:2024
550:ISBN
316:Cast
272:Plot
252:and
224:and
209:and
711:at
700:at
678:at
614:327
1150::
657:35
655:.
649:.
616:.
582:.
256:.
248:,
244:,
240:,
236:,
232:,
217:.
926:e
919:t
912:v
741:e
734:t
727:v
626:.
593:.
140:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
