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28-621: The Card is a comic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911 (entitled Denry the Audacious in the American edition). It was later made into a 1952 movie , starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark . Like much of Bennett's best work, it is set in the Staffordshire Potteries . It chronicles the rise of Edward Henry ("Denry") Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley (a fictitious town based on Burslem ). This

56-406: A literary genre is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . The Card (1952 film) The Card is a 1952 British comedy film version of the 1911 novel by Arnold Bennett . In America , the film was titled The Promoter . It was adapted by Eric Ambler and directed by Ronald Neame . It stars Alec Guinness , Glynis Johns , Valerie Hobson , and Petula Clark . The film

84-665: A Nobody ) . Saki 's work is also significant, although his career was cut short by World War I . A. G. Macdonell and G. K. Chesterton also produced flights of whimsy. Henry Fielding's The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was a notable mid-18th century work in the genre. More contemporary British humorists are George MacDonald Fraser , Tom Sharpe , Kingsley Amis , Terry Pratchett , Richard Gordon , Rob Grant , Douglas Adams , Evelyn Waugh , Anthony Powell , Nick Hornby , Helen Fielding , Eric Sykes , Leslie Thomas , Stephen Fry , Richard Asplin , Mike Harding , Joseph Connolly , and Ben Elton . James Joyce 's Ulysses

112-640: A fresh relationship with another older, titled gentleman. Nellie and Denry marry. Denry becomes the youngest mayor in the history of Bursley. The film was made at Pinewood Studios near London . Location shooting took place largely in Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent , the basis for the fictional location of Bursley, and in the North Wales resort Llandudno . The football match was filmed at York Road, home of Maidenhead United FC. For Guinness, playing

140-407: A highly profitable interest rate). Ruth herself is several months in arrears and tries to sneak away in the middle of the night. Denry catches her by accident, but rather than being angry, he admires her audacity and starts courting her. While on holiday at the seaside resort town of Llandudno with Ruth and her friend Nellie Cotterill, he witnesses a shipwreck and the rescue of the sailors. Noting

168-479: A movie that has some comedy or laughs within it. Literary scholars distinguish textual analysis on this basis; the theory being that a story by Mark Twain that is a satirical critique in its very origin, for example, must be understood differently than a more literal novelistic plot. One of the most notable British comic novelists is P. G. Wodehouse , whose work follows on from that of Jerome K. Jerome , George Grossmith , and Weedon Grossmith (see The Diary of

196-455: A test sufficiently to earn him a scholarship to grammar school . At 16, he leaves school to work for Mr Duncalf, the town clerk and a solicitor. Duncalf is responsible for organising an exclusive ball; Denry "invites" himself, then also a few others in exchange for things he will need, such as lessons from dance instructor Ruth Earp. On a bet, he audaciously asks the energetic, beautiful Countess of Chell to dance. Everyone, including Machin,

224-536: Is accomplished through luck, initiative and a fair bit of cheek (in slang a card is a 'character', an 'original'; a clever, audacious, person). Denry Machin returned, as the slightly more mature "Edward Henry", in Bennett's sequel The Regent (1913) (titled The Old Adam in its first US edition). The novel begins when "Edward Henry Machin first saw the smoke on May 27, 1867"—the very day of Bennett's own birth. At age 12, Denry begins his career by altering his marks in

252-402: Is considered by some to be a comic novel. Notable American comic novelists include Mark Twain , Richard Brautigan , Philip Roth , John Kennedy Toole , James Wilcox , John Swartzwelder , Larry Doyle , Jennifer Weiner , Carl Hiaasen , Joseph Heller , Peter De Vries , Thomas Pynchon , Kurt Vonnegut , Terry Southern , and Christopher Moore . Iraj Pezeshkzad This article about

280-507: Is in awe of the Countess (apparently based on the real-life Duchess of Sutherland ) and he thus earns himself the reputation of a "card" (a "character", someone able to set tongues wagging) – a reputation he is determined to cement. Later, when Duncalf treats a disgruntled client brusquely, Denry leaves his employ after persuading the client to hire him as a rent collector. When some of the tenants fall behind, he begins loaning them money (at

308-583: The Five Towns Universal Thrift Club, a bold venture that allows members to purchase goods on credit. This increases Denry's wealth and reputation, and he is able to expand further, due to the patronage of the countess. Denry's social ambitions expand. He becomes a town councillor, and he purchases the rights to locally born Callear, the "greatest centre forward in England", for the failing local football club. Ruth reappears, now

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336-407: The book's final exchange: "What a card!" said one, laughing joyously. "He's a rare 'un, no mistake." "Of course, this'll make him more popular than ever," said another. "We've never had a man to touch him for that." "And yet," demanded Councillor Barlow, "what's he done? Has he ever done a day's work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?" "He's identified," said the speaker, "with

364-494: The dancing teacher who is attracted to Denry, is herself heavily in arrears to Mr. Calvert. Despite this, Ruth and he became engaged. While on holiday in Llandudno with Ruth (accompanied by her friend Nellie Cotterill as chaperone ), he witnesses a shipwreck and the rescue of the sailors—an event that he turns to his financial advantage. He also realizes Ruth's spendthrift nature, and they part on bitter terms. Denry starts up

392-408: The defining characteristic of this genre is that comedy is the framework and baseline of the story, rather than an occasional or recurring motif. It is the through-line and organizing genre for the novel's tone, orientation and sensibility. A reader is not expected to 'find' or 'discover' a humorous moment within the reality of the text, rather, humor is the ongoing mood, like a comedy movie, rather than

420-431: The film "never quite takes wings of fancy." The New York Times critic Bosley Crowther gave the film a mixed review, writing "the script Eric Ambler has adapted from Arnold Bennett's old novel, The Card , is provokingly uninvested with dramatic compulsion or push. It just ambles along very gently from one situation to the next ... The Promoter , while vastly amusing in spots, is not a first-rate Guinness show." In

448-409: The great cause of cheering us all up." A film of the novel, The Card (retitled The Promoter for American audiences), adapted by Eric Ambler and directed by Ronald Neame , was released in 1952. It starred Alec Guinness as Denry Machin, Petula Clark as Nellie Cotterill, Valerie Hobson as the Countess, and Glynis Johns as Ruth Earp. The movie was mostly faithful to the novel, though it omitted

476-489: The interest generated, he buys a lifeboat, hires some of the stranded mariners as rowers, and conducts tours of the picturesque wreck. However, Ruth's spendthrift nature becomes alarmingly apparent during the trip and they break up. By the end of the summer, Denry has made a substantial profit from the sightseers, which he uses to finance his boldest venture. He starts up the Five Towns Universal Thrift Club. Members deposit money little by little; once they have accumulated half

504-455: The newspaper caper, Denry outmanoeuvring his mother into moving, and a few other minor misadventures. In 1973, the married songwriting team of Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent composed the score for a musical stage version of the same name in London's West End . (The pair wrote a considerable number of Clark's pop hits in the 1960s and '70s.) Although not a huge success, an original cast album

532-429: The next day, Duncalf angrily sacks Denry. Denry offers his services as a rent collector to a dissatisfied client of Duncalf's, Mrs. Codleyn. His reputation as an efficient and no-nonsense collector brings the business of Mr. Calvert. Denry quickly realises, though, that he can make more money by advancing loans, at a highly profitable interest rate, to the many tenants who are in arrears. He also discovers that Ruth Earp,

560-518: The romantic lead was a departure from his previously comic roles. The film was one of the first adult screen roles for Clark, who received her first screen kiss. Clark recorded a vocal version of the film's theme, with lyrics by her long-term accompanist, Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson . A critic in The Manchester Guardian wrote that "Guinness appears to take only a perfunctory interest in 'Denry.' He plays him much too quietly", and that

588-415: The sum they need to purchase whatever it is they want, the club allows them to buy on credit, but only from stores associated with the club. Denry makes money by getting a discount from the vendors in return for access to his large customer base. When his capital starts to run out, he arranges an "accident" for the Countess's coach. He drives conveniently by and gives her a lift to an urgent appointment. On

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616-419: The town clerk and a solicitor. He meets the charming and socially well-connected Countess of Chell , a client of Duncalf's, and is given the job of sending out invitations to a grand municipal ball. He "invites" himself and wins a £5 bet that he will ask the countess to dance. This earns him the reputation of a "card" (a "character", someone able to set tongues wagging)—a reputation he is determined to cement, but

644-494: The way there, he talks her into becoming the club's sponsor, ensuring easy financing. This proves to be the making of Denry's fortune. With his great success, he is appointed a town councillor. He also backs a new daily newspaper (to be bought out at a profit by its established rival anxious to keep its monopoly) and tricks his obstinate mother into moving into a luxurious new house. At this point, Ruth reappears in Denry's life, now

672-510: The widow of a rich older man. He considers renewing their relationship, but at the last moment, realises that Nellie is the one for him and marries her. The crowning achievement comes when Denry decides to become the youngest mayor in the history of Bursley. To sway the voters, he purchases the rights to footballer and native son Callear, the "greatest centre forward in England", for the failing Bursley football club. His antics are regarded with affection and admiration by most others, as shown by

700-425: The widow of a rich, older, titled man. He considers renewing their relationship but is unsure of his (and her) feelings. Nellie's father, a builder, is bankrupt (again), and the family decides to migrate to Canada. As they are boarding the ocean liner at Liverpool, Denry realizes that Nellie is devastated at her potential loss, and that he really loves only her. Ruth, who is also present, is furious, but quickly starts

728-486: Was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound . It is mainly faithful to the novel, omitting some minor incidents. The film follows the adventures and misadventures of Edward Henry (Denry) Machin, an ambitious young man from a poor background. Denry surreptitiously changes his poor grades to qualify for entry to a "school for the sons of gentlemen". At the age of 16, he becomes a junior clerk to Mr. Duncalf,

756-724: Was once again adapted as a two-part play for BBC Radio 4 . Again, the adaptation was faithful to the novel, with the omission of the newspaper incident. In 2023, the novel was adapted by Deborah McAndrew into a play. Directed by Conrad Nelson and performed by the Claybody Theatre , the play opened in Fenton , one of Stoke-on-Trent's six towns. The production later moved to Newcastle-under-Lyme 's New Vic Theatre . Comic novel Novels, books, plays, and many works of fiction or art can certainly contain and include passages or themes that are comic, humorous or satirical , but

784-405: Was released, and one of the show's tunes, "Nothing Succeeds Like Success", was recorded by Clark as one of her album tracks. In 1974 Olivia Manning adapted The Card and another of Bennett's works featuring Denry, The Regent (1913) into an eight part BBC Radio play: Denry - The Adventures Of A Card . Graham Armitage portrayed Denry and Ursula O'Leary the Countess of Chell. In 2007, it

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