The Reluctant Debutante (1958) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

'The Reluctant Debutante' is a 1958 comedy directed by Vincent Minnelli and starring Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, Angela Lansbury, John Saxon, Sandra Dee, Peter Myers and Diane Clare. The film's screenplay is by Julius J. Epstein.

The film was later remade as "What a Girl Wants" (2003) with Amanda Bynes.

The film is set in London, 1958. 17 year old Jane Broadbent (played by Dee) arrives in London to live with her wealthy father Jimmy Broadbent (played by Harrison) and her stepmother Sheila Broadbent (played by Kendall). In order to compete with her "second cousin twice removed, and twice isn't far enough", Mabel Claremont (played by Lansbury), Sheila is determined to give Jane a coming out party to make her debut. Along the way, Jane falls in love with drummer David Parkson (played by Saxon), whom Sheila disapproves. 

Watch the trailer:

Musical program

The musical score features memorable MGM songs including "The Boy Next Door", "Easy to Love", "You Are My Lucky Star", "Love" and "How About You?". The contemporary "Rock Around the Clock" also makes an appearance.

Did you know...

• This film was shot in Paris, as Rex Harrison was experiencing tax problems and was unable to stay in the US or the UK
• This was the 12th most popular movie at the British box office in 1959

Closing remarks

Not a bad film but in comparison to the rest of Vincente Minnelli's body of work, this is somewhat a disappointment. That said, Angela Lansbury steals the show as the stuck up and snobby Mabel Claremont. Lansbury and Kendall play an amusing game of keeping up with the Joneses as their characters attempt to outdo each other throughout the film. Real life husband and wife Harrison and Kendall also make a great pair. Overall a below average, yet very predictable romantic comedy. 

Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna... Star of the month - Olivia de Havilland

Amy Irving as Anna, with
Rex Harrison as Cyril and
Olivia de Havilland as the Empress

Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna is a 1986 TV mini series (originally broadcast in two parts) starring Amy Irving, Olivia de Havilland, and Jan Niklas along with Omar Sharif, Rex Harrison, Claire Bloom, Susan Lucci and Elke Sommer.


Based on the novel 'The Ridde of Anna Anderson' by Peter Kurth, the film tells the story of Anna Anderson, the most famous of the many impostors who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia following her supposed death


The first thirty minutes of the film tells the story of the Romanov's and the massacre where they are killed, with the rest of Part 1 telling the story of Anna, an inmate in a Berlin asylum who claims she is Anastasia.  Part 2 focuses on Anna's struggle to prove she is Anastasia, as well as the court case she places against the surviving Romanovs to prove she is Anastasia.


Olivia de Havilland is outstanding as Anastasia's grandmother Dowager Empress Maria, and Rex Harrison is perfectly cast as Grand Duke Cyril Romanov. Elke Sommer has an amusing cameo as Isabel Von Hohenstauffen.

Anastasia and Anna Anderson

Anastasia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicolas II of Russia and his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna. Anatasia, along with her parents and siblings were killed by the Bolshevik secret police on 17 July 1918. Rumours surfaced stating Anastasia had survived the massacre, and following this a number of impostors claimed to be Anastasia.

The real Duchess Anastasia

A woman named Anna Anderson, who was found in an asylum claimed she was Anastasia. Despite the Romanov family denying her claim, she continued to claim she was Anastasia until her death in 1984. 

The real Anna Anderson

When the film was made, it was still not known whether or not Anna Andersen was really Anastasia. In 2007 (after Anna death of Anna), the final missing Romanov corpse (believed to be Anastasia) was found. DNA testing and comparison concluded Anna Anderson was NOT Anastasia. It is now accepted Anna was a Polish factory worker named Franziska Schanzkowska, a woman with a history of mental illness.

Did you know...

• This was Rex Harrison's final film
• The was Christian Bale's first film
• Nastassja Kinski was considered to play the role of Anna

Awards and nominations

• Golden Globe Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series or television film (Olivia de Havilland)
• Golden Globe Award winner for Best Supporting Actor in a series, mini-series or television film (Jan Niklas)
• Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Mini-Series or Television Film
• Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a series, mini-series or television film (Amy Irving)
• Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Costume Design for a mini-series or a special
• Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a mini-series or a special (Dramatic Underscore)
• Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Mini-Series
• Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a mini-series or movie (Olivia de Havilland)
• Artios award nomination for Best Casting for a TV mini-series

Closing remarks

Above average television movie, although a little too long. It would have been great to have seen Olivia de Havilland and Rex Harrison appear a little longer, as they both deliver great powerful performances.