The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom

Production: Paramount. Director Joseph MacGrath; Producer Josef Shaftel; Screenplay Alec Coppel, Denis Norden; Camera Geoffrey Unsworth; Editor Ralph Sheldon; Music Riz Ortolani; Art Director Assheton Gorton
Crew: (Color) Extract of a review from 1968. Running time: 93 MIN.
With: Shirley MacLaine Richard Attenborough James Booth Freddie Jones William Rushton Bob Monkhouse

September 14, 2024

The Bliss of Mrs Blossom is a silly, campy and sophisticated marital comedy, always amusing and often hilarious in impact. Shirley MacLaine stars as a wife with two husbands - Richard Attenborough, the legal and nighttime spouse, and James Booth, who lives in the attic. Script covers the laugh spectrum from throwaway verbal and sight gags through broad comedy to satirical pokes at old-fashioned film romances.

The Bliss of Mrs Blossom is a silly, campy and sophisticated marital comedy, always amusing and often hilarious in impact. Shirley MacLaine stars as a wife with two husbands – Richard Attenborough, the legal and nighttime spouse, and James Booth, who lives in the attic. Script covers the laugh spectrum from throwaway verbal and sight gags through broad comedy to satirical pokes at old-fashioned film romances.

MacLaine, bored but adoring wife, calls Attenborough, a noted brassiere manufacturer, for help when her sewing machine breaks down. Only plant worker available is the bumbling Booth, who is seduced by MacLaine. He refuses to leave the attic, and MacLaine gets to liking the cozy arrangement. Gumshoes Freddie Jones and William Rushton pursue Booth’s ‘disappearance’ over the course of many years.

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Although basically a one-joke story, idea is fleshed out most satisfactorily so as to take undue attention away from the premise.

Performances are all very good, Attenborough’s in particular.

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