The Love Test Explained

The Love Test is a 1935 British romantic comedy film directed by Michael Powell and starring Judy Gunn, Louis Hayward, David Hutcheson and Googie Withers. It was made as a Quota quickie.

Plot

When a woman is made the head of a chemistry laboratory, her colleagues hatch a plot to make her fall in love, and neglect her work duties.

Cast

• Judy Gunn as Mary Lee
• Louis Hayward as John Gregg
• David Hutcheson as Thompson (as Dave Hutcheson)
• Googie Withers as Minnie
• Morris Harvey as Company President
• Aubrey Dexter as Vice-President
• Eve Turner as Kathleen
• Bernard Miles as Allan
• Jack Knight as Managing Director
• Gilbert Davis as Hosiah Smith, Chief Chemist
• Shayle Gardner as Night Watchman
• James Craig as Boiler Man
• Thorley Walters as Chemist
• Ian Wilson as Chemist

Production

The chemistry laboratory is trying to find a way to make the cellulose used to make toy dolls in a non-flammable form. There are obvious resonances to the problem with the highly flammable celluloid used to make films like this one.^[1]

Withers made four quota quickies with Powell, who she found a "difficult man".^[2]

Bibliography

• Chibnal, Steve. Quota Quickies : The Birth of the British 'B' Film. London: BFI, 2007.
• Powell, Michael. A Life in Movies: An Autobiography. London: Heinemann, 1986. .

References

1. Powell, 1986
2. Interview with Googie Withers conducted by Francine Stock, The Film Programme, BBC Radio 4, 25 December 2009

External links

• • • • The Love Test reviews and articles at the Powell & Pressburger Pages