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The Reluctant Debutante (1958)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 2

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Release Date: Aug 14, 1958 Wide

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 785

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Movie Info

The Reluctant Debutante is a vintage example of the sort of elegant, witty "polite" comedy that Hollywood used to pull off so well. Real-life husband and wife Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall are cast as newly wed Jimmy and Sheila Broadbent, two of London's more attractive aristocrats. Jimmy has a daughter, Jane (Sandra Dee), from a previous marriage; though the girl is dead set against it, Jimmy insists that Jane make her society debut in London. Daddy wants his darling daughter to meet the "right"

Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.

Drama, Romance, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Vincente Minnelli

Written By: William Douglas-Home

In Theaters: Aug 14, 1958 Wide

On DVD: Dec 11, 1991

Cast

Rex Harrison
Jimmy Broadbent
Kay Kendall
Sheila Broadbent
John Saxon
David Parkson
Sandra Dee
Jane Broadbent
Angela Lansbury
Mabel Claremont
Diane Clare
Clarissa Claremont
Peter Myers
David Fenner
Charles Cullum
English Colonel
Ambrosine Phillpotts
Secretary
Sheila Raynor
Maid

Critic Reviews for The Reluctant Debutante

All Critics (6) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (2)

A vintage drawing-room comedy that's flimsy, lacks any edge and plays out as an exercise in high style Brit comedy.

May 14, 2007 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Pedestrian Minneli comedy headlining Rex Harrison.

May 9, 2007 Comment

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Minnelli's comedy about the British upper class is one of his least successful films due to incongruous casting of all-American Sandra Dee as the daughter of Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall.

April 25, 2007 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Visually creative comedy-love story.

August 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Classic Film and Television

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

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Audience Reviews for The Reluctant Debutante

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Kay and Rex sparkle like the sun, hard to believe she was dying while this was being made. Angela Lansbury provides solid support and John Saxon and Sandra Dee made a handsome couple, but it is really Kay Kendall's movie all the way.

March 2, 2008

jay nixon

Super Reviewer

I couldn't stop laughing! The parents are silly and my favorite part is near the end of the movie- it's ridiculous! I loved it and i want to see it again! I have only seen it once.

March 7, 2007