The Compulsory Wife

The Compulsory Wife
Trade advertisement for the film
Directed byArthur B. Woods
Written byJohn Dighton
Reginald Purdell
Produced byIrving Asher
StarringHenry Kendall
Joyce Kirby
CinematographyBasil Emmott
Distributed byWarner Brothers-First National Productions
Release date
  • March 1937 (1937-03)
Running time
57 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Compulsory Wife is a 1937 British quota quickie comedy film, directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Henry Kendall and Joyce Kirby. It was written by John Dighton and Reginald Purdell.

Preservation status

The British Film Institute has classed The Compulsory Wife as a lost film. Its National Archive holds a collection of ephemera but no film or video materials.

Plot

Farcical complications arise when a pair of strangers have to spend a night alone together in a country cottage when their hosts are detained in town. Overnight all their luggage is stolen by a burglar, leaving them with nothing but their nightclothes. Then the next morning their hosts and the other guests start arriving.

Cast

Reception

The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Introducing time-honoured trappings of near-farce, action has moments of amusing fun, punning dialogue, and usual misunderstandings, while Joyce Kirby gives piquant portrayal in lead. Acceptable light quota support."

Kine Weekly wrote: "It wouid be unfair to dwell too critically on this production, which has obviously been made for quota purposes and has no pretensions to compete as entertainment with pictures made with a definite box-office appeal. Even as a minor contribution from a British studio it is palpably weak in story value, while the semi-facetious dialogue is irritating. Its attraction can only be assessed as extremely limited."

Picturegoer wrote: "Henry Kendall struggles valiantly with a role which puts him in impossible situations, and he does not get a lot of help from the rest of the cast. ... Direction and production are very weak.

Picture Show wrote: "It is artificial and fairly amusing."

References

  1. ↑ "The Compulsory Wife". The Daily Film Renter (3109): 8. 11 March 1937. ProQuest 2594589334.
  2. 1 2 "The Compulsory Wife". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  3. ↑ Eyles, Allen; Meeker, David, eds. (1992). "The Compulsory Wife". Missing Believed Lost: The Great British Film Search. British Film Institute. p. 78. ISBN 0851703062.
  4. ↑ "The Compulsory Wife". The Daily Film Renter (3121): 4. 25 March 1937. ProQuest 3303420946.
  5. ↑ "The Compulsory Wife". Kine Weekly. 242 (1563): 26. 1 April 1937. ProQuest 2338164448.
  6. ↑ "The Compulsory Wife". Picturegoer. 7: 24. 4 August 1937. ProQuest 1771121785.
  7. ↑ "The Compulsory Wife". Picture Show. 37 (954): 20. 7 August 1937. ProQuest 1880296245.