Dear Mr. Prohack (1949)

A civil servant (Cecil Parker) at the Treasury is thrifty and frugal at both the office and in his personal life. But when he suddenly inherits a large sum of money, his life is upended when his wife (Hermione Baddeley) and son (Dirk Bogarde) both take advantage of the situation. Based on the novel MR. PROHACK by Arnold Bennett and directed by Thornton Freeland (FLYING DOWN TO RIO). I've not much of a fan of British comedies but I found this British version of a screwball comedy charming for the most part. It's a pity that the ending they came up with is pretty lame. The original source material was written in 1922 so it's a bit creaky and the material would have been better served if set in its original time period. Cecil Parker had played this role on the stage so he's letter perfect here but he gets first rate assistance from the supporting cast, particularly Glynis Johns as his private secretary. Fans of British comedies should enjoy this one. Also in the cast: Sheila Sim, Heather Thatcher and Denholm Elliott.