Once Upon a Dream (1949 film)


Once Upon a Dream is a 1949 British comedy romance film directed by Ralph Thomas in his debut and starring Googie Withers, Griffith Jones, Guy Middleton, and Maurice Denham. It was a J. Arthur Rank presentation and a Sydney Box production, and was released through General Film Distributors Ltd. The film was made at the Lime Grove Studios with sets designed by the art director Cedric Dawe.

Plot

Just after World War II, an officer's wife has a romantic dream about her husband's man and comes to believe it is true. Meanwhile, the husband has asked his servant to help him, after the war, by suggesting ways to reignite the romance he and his wife had before the war, and also a way to make money in the post-war economy. Misdirection and misunderstandings ensue.

Cast

refused to do the film and was put on suspension by Rank.
Ralph Thomas was head of the trailer department for the Rank Film Organisation. He had made a number of trailers for producer Sydney Box, including one for the film Miranda which Box liked. "He was particularly taken with it," said Thomas. When the original director for Once Upon a Dream fell ill, Box offered Thomas the chance to direct. It was on this film that Thomas met Box's sister Betty, who would go on to make over 20 films with Thomas.

Reception

By 1953 the film earned a net revenue of £79,000.
Allmovie noted, "More silly than funny, Once Upon a Dream is kept alive by the enthusiastic performances of its leading players."