Jeff Chandler stars in the Universal actioner Smuggler’s Island released in on 18th May 1951 in the USA- and it was in Technicolor. Jeff Chandler plays ex-Navy frogman Steve Kent, now employed as a diver for hire in Macao. On the verge of bankruptcy, Kent is bailed out by mystery woman Vivian Craig (Evelyn Keyes), who wants him to locate a stolen cache of gold. Other interested parties include Vivian’s shifty husband (Philip Friend) and ruthless pirate Bok-Ying (Marvin Miller). Plenty of double-crosses and triple-crosses  before the film closes and  the climax is a Technicolorful fireworks display aboard Kent’s sloop, wherein all the loose plot strands are neatly tied up.   Smuggler’s Island doesn’t make a lot of sense, but this fact does not lessen its entertainment value at all Director: Edward Ludwig Writers: Leonard Lee (screenplay), Herbert H. Margolis (adaptation) Stars: Jeff Chandler, Evelyn Keyes, Philip Friend, Marvin Miller, Ducky Louie, David Wolfe. Jeff Chandler called the film one of his favourites because “I played myself”. Around this time Chandler typically had played characters of varying nationalities from different historical periods; this was a rare opportunity for him to play a contemporary American. The original cast announced for the film was Märta Torén, Dick Powell and Robert Douglas. Evelyn Keyes had just signed a contract with Universal to make nine films over seven years of which this was the first.   The film begins with a voice-over narration describing the Portuguese colony of Macao, off the coast of China, which serves as a haven for smugglers, gamblers and pirates. Location shooting was done in Macao. Jeff Chandler was born in Brooklyn and attended Erasmus High School. After high school, he took a drama course and worked in stock companies for two years. His next role would be that of an officer in World War II. After he was discharged from the service, he became busy acting in radio drama’s and comedies until he was signed by Universal. It would be in the fifties that Jeff would become a star making westerns and action pictures. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950). He would follow this by playing the role of Cochise in two sequels: The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) and Taza, Son of Cochise (1954). While his premature grey hair and tanned features served him well in his westerns and action pictures, the studio would put him into soaps and costume dramas. In his films, his leading ladies would include Maureen O’Hara, Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford, and June Allyson. Shortly after his last film Merrill’s Marauders (1962). Jeff Chandler died, at 42, from blood poisoning after an operation for a slipped disc. His death  following surgery was deemed malpractice and resulted in a large lawsuit and settlement for his children. He had concurrent success as a recording artist, wrote music, played violin, and owned Chandler Music, a publishing company. Possessed of a fine singing voice, at the height of his film fame, he recorded several successful albums for Liberty Records. His former lover Esther Williams, in her tell-all 1999 biography, put Chandler back in the headlines after asserting that he was a cross-dresser. She told him, “Jeff, you’re too big for polka dots.”. I always thought that the claims Esther Williams made about Jeff Chandler and her former husband and Johnny Weissmuller and Victor Mature were a load of rubbish designed to sell her book. By the time this book and its claims came out all of the men mentioned had died and so were unable to answer back. Jeff Chandler stood 6′ 4″ by the time he was fifteen, and started to grey when he was eighteen.

The Johnny Quest character “Race Bannon” was modelled on Jeff Chandler.

The film took over 1 million dollars in the USA – so pretty good.

Twenty-one-year-old Anne Francis carries off the title-character role in 20th Century-Fox’s Lydia Bailey with class and finesse.

Set in Haiti during the Napoleonic era, the film concerns aristocratic landholder Lydia Bailey and her more-than-professional relationship with American attorney Albion Hamlin (Dale Robertson). The idealistic Hamlin becomes involved in the Haitian uprising against the French, aligning himself with rebel leader–and former slave–King Dick (William Marshall). At first, Lydia sides with the French, but she eventually realizes that Hamlin’s way is the right way.

Based on a novel by Kenneth Roberts. It is William Marshall as King Dick, with his considerable acting skill and imposing presence, who dominates the proceedings in a well-written, non-stereotypical role. The resourceful King Dick saves Hamlin’s life on more than one occasion, and it is plan for  Hamlin tom impersonate a slow-witted servant, that gets them within Leclerc’s stronghold. Their mission is to assassinate a traitor to the Haitian cause. Dale Robertson plays the hero,  Hamlin – he took on the role after Tyrone Power refused to do it,  and  Anne Francis (as the title character) is a beautiful woman and good in the role.

Charles Korvin plays Andre D’Autremont, Bailey’s fiancé. Their love triangle is dwarfed by the larger story of Haitian revolutionary, where Ken Renard puts in an understated but effective appearance as the great Toussaint.

This was the film debut of William Marshall as King Dick, and what a career he could – and should – have had.

The film was originally to star Tyrone Power who went on suspension rather than film “another costume picture.   Power said he had filmed five historical-period films in a row and wished to do a film where “people talk normally and not in stilted dialogue.”  The lead was therefore given to one of Fox’s postwar contract players, Dale Robertson. With Fox’s option on the novel running out, the film was shot at the 20th Century Fox Movie Ranch and backlot of Fox’s California studios.

Colourful cinematography in Technicolor by Harry Jackson , shot in Calabasas , California and Ranch Twentieth Century Fox . Evocative production design enhanced with  matte painting . Thrilling  musical score by the classy composer Hugo Friedhofer .

The film was well directed by Jean Negulesco . He was a filmmaker of both popular , polished entertainments , as well as critically acclaimed prowess.

Following my previous post detailing the amazing story of Susan Shentall – this time TWO young ladies who again made just one film.  Nothing like such a big film as Susan Shentall appeared in but I am sure just as memorable to these two.

This is a film that I was not at all familiar with. It is an early version of the story we later would know as The Parent Trap with Hayley Mills but this featured identical twin girls – and they were Yolande and Charmian Larthe. In the later film Hayley Mills played both girls with clever split screen filming but in this the first version of the story, they did not need to use such a technique. The picture above is scanned from the magazine Illustrated from November 1952 – however the caption with the picture centres on the fact that they are clearly identical but their fingerprints are noticeably different. Back to the film itself – Twice Upon a Time is a 1953 film, directed by Emeric Pressburger based on the book Lottie and Lisa by Erich Kästner.

It concerns twin sisters who are separated when their parents divorce and meet again by accident when they are sent to the same summer camp – and they hatch a plan to reunite their parents. Lotte and Lisa had already been adapted into the films Two Times Lotte (1950) a Germany Production.    Twice Upon a Time was the first English-language film adaptation of the story.

Emeric Pressburger as we all know collaberated with Michel Powell who directed the films they made together –  some of the very best films this country has ever produced.

Michael Powell I once heard being interviewed about his first meeting with Emeric Pressburger  – it was at a ’round the table meeting – in advance of the making of The Spy In Black. Sitting around the table was Michael, Alexander Korda, the Author of the book that Emeric had adapted for the film, and Emeric himself. Korda introduced Emeric and ask him to go over the screenplay he had written which he duly did.  Apparently he had turned the original story on its head – the author was not happy – but Michael Powell thought that it was brilliant. He then thought ‘ I must work with this man again’  – which we all know he did. This film, however, was Emeric’s debut as a  Film Director in his own right.  He never directed another film, so maybe he thought that it didn’t suit him – I don’t know.

The film Twice Upon a Time starred Hugh Williams and Elizabeth Allan – she appeared on Whats My Line as a panellist very occasionally in the early to mid fifties. Hugh Williams had a long career both on stage and screen. He played in Hollywood in Wuthering Heights  in 1939 – and the very next film back in England was Dark Eyes of London – a film that, for some reason, I do remember from Television years later – it starred Bela Lugosi who must have come over to England to make this one – I had not realised that before.

After the War Hugh Williams had a leading part in the lavish Korda production of An Ideal Husband in 1947. Then he was in The Holly and the Ivy in 1952 – another of my favourite films.

Hugh Williams – His son Simon Williams the actor talks of his father BELOW  :-

Throughout most of my childhood my father, the actor Hugh Williams, was working in drawing-room comedies in the West End, some of them written by him and my mother, Margaret. In those days, French windows were de rigueur in the theatre, the way dry ice is today.

He would get home around midnight and one of my earliest memories is of him getting me up to ‘pot’ me. He’d sit on the floor beside me with his tumbler of whisky, chatting.

Sometimes he’d do magic tricks.  He smelt of theatre, of greasepaint, tobacco and Trumpers hair oil (honey and flowers), and was at his most genial, so I soon learnt to hold back my pee to prolong the secret time with him.

As I grew older I would drink copiously at bedtime so I’d wake up for our midnight tryst. He’d have cold roast beef and claret, and I’d have a bowl of cereal. ‘It was a good house tonight,’ he’d say, ‘packed.’ With the hours he kept, I thought he must be a burglar. When I was old enough I was allowed to see him at work.

There he was, wandering about the stage in his usual clothes, speaking quite normally, giving people drinks and kissing women who weren’t my mother. Money for old rope – all you had to do was take your glasses off.  In his dressing room I liked to watch the ritual of his preparation.

There he was, wandering about the stage, giving people drinks and kissing women who weren’t my mother

With The Archers on his Roberts radio and his deaf dresser polishing his shoes, he’d rub greasepaint into his face and darken his moustache. When they called ‘Beginners please,’ he’d finish his Bell’s whisky and stub out his Craven A.

For me the die was cast. I’ve always liked the story of the boy who tells his dad, ‘When I grow up, I want to be an actor.’ His father replies, ‘You’ll have to choose son, you can’t do both.’

When I summoned the courage to tell Dad I wanted to follow in his footsteps, he was seemingly distraught and said he’d cut me off without a penny.  I asked, with due respect, how that was possible with him being an undischarged bankrupt. After a longish pause, while my heart was thudding, he began to roar with laughter.

Two years later he wrote a part for me in his new play, His, Hers and Theirs, and we set off around the country on a pre-London tour.  After the show we’d sit together in stage-door pubs till closing time – it was as if I’d been practising the late-night drinking with him since I was two.

Susan Shentall made only the one film ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in 1954 after being ‘spotted’ dining in London and cast as Juliet in a film made in Italy mainly during the summer of 1953.

In this magazine she describes the making of the film as ‘My Wonderful Year as Juliet’

This is an astonishing story – and here it is in her own words :-

We walked into the cinema, took our seats and the lights went down. The two hours that followed are the only proff I have that last year was not the dream that it seems to be now. As I watched the story of star-crossed lovers unfolding on the screen,. I let my mind drift back to9 that Italian summer. The heat, the noise, the colours, the tears, the laughter, the weariness, in endless procession through Rome, Venice, Verona, Siena ….  It seemd incredible that something had been created from all that confusion. But to go back to the beginning …..

One Friday night last year ( 1953) my parents and I were dining at the Caprice, a restaurant we often went to in London. During the meal, Mario, the proprietor, came over to talk to us. Suddentl he said: ‘How would you like to play Juliet?’. I was completely taken aback. Mario explained: An Italian Film Director, Renato Castellani, was looking for someone to play Juliet in his film ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Apparently he often came to the Caprice and had asked Mario to keep a look-out for any potential Juliets. Now, Mario thought. I might be the type Castellani was searching for. Could he give him my telephone number ?

Highly amused. we agreed, and went back to our hotel not expecting to hear no more. However, next morning, I found a message waiting for me. Would I phone Mr. Janni ? I think I was more intrigued than anything else. Who were all these people ? Where would it all lead ? The sequel to that telephone call was the most embarrassing half-hour of my life.

Mr. Janni had arranged to meet my father and myself that evening at our hotel. He sadid that he would bring Signor Ghenzi, the Italian Producer with him. They arrived, and for a full ten minutes not a word was spoken. They just sat and looked at me as though I was something in the Zoo. Then, suddenly, the three men went into a long and rapid discussion in Italian.

Eventually they asked if I would do two tests. I was amazed that they even considered me for the part. I had thought they would take one look at me and try to leave as tactfully as possible. I suppose I was flattered so I agreed. I remember little of my first test, at the house of Bob Krasker, the cameraman.  I seemed to be surrounded by at least thirty people, all staring; someone doing things with my hair,  someone else daubing  my face.  Later, I came to know and love these people – the hair-dresser, the make-up man and the others – but then they were just part of the general confusion. I was put in the center of an arc of impossibly bright lights, unable to see beyond them, but knowing that all those people were still there. I did as they requested;  I lokked this way and that, smiled, repeated some lines. Somehow I got through.

Then followed a week’s intensive rehearsing with Castellani. WE had decided to do the balcony scene, so I wherefore-art-thou-Romeoed through the week and set out for Pinewood Film Studios for a full test. This time the lights did not bother me.

At Pinewood I met Laurence Harvey, who was to play Romeo. I remember feeling very sorry for him, having to waste his time in this way. But he was very kind to me, and we swore undying love for each other for the best part of a day. People said afterwards how amazed they were at my calmness, but I was fascinated by all that was going on around me, and as I had not the slightest expectation of getting the part anyway, I didn’t see that there was anything to worry about. When it was all over Larry said: ‘very pleased to have met you, Miss Shentall,’ and steamed off in his white sports car. I went home to Derbyshire.

About a fortnight later, when I thought that by this time they would be at least half-way through the film, Castellani phoned to say that I had the part. Everybody took it calmly. My Mother went around looking as though she had lost a near relative. I don’t quite know what she thought was going to happen to me. The others, far from being vastly impressed and thinking they had a second Helen Terry in their midst, treated the whole thing as an enormous joke.  I felt it would be a wonderful experience.  I had nothing to lose.   The fact that I would spend six months in Italy really clinched the matter; my parents had said that I must make my own  decision.

Of course, in a way the whole thing was preposterous. Unlike many of my friends in our schooldays, I had never imagined myself reclining on a leopard-skin in the heart of Hollywood; nor had I any ambition to see my name in lights.  At the very mention of any play or entertainment being organised, I would make myself as scarce as possible in the hope of being exempted from even the smallest part. I was once induced to play and Angel in a Nativity play, and it took me many weeks to recover from the ordeal.

I passed the two months in a complete daze. There was the whirl of preparation – make-up tests, a three day visit to Florence for costume fittings, and final packing and farewells. Then the first day’s shooting with Flora Robson, cast as the nurse, and Lydia Sherwood, who played Lady Capulet. The thing I found most difficult at first was trying to forget all the people on the set, and the great unwinking eye of the camera, and to concentrate on what I was supposed to be doing.  I would return to my hotel at night with abrely enough strength to have a meal, and the alarm clock would rouse me again all too soon.

I remember walking on to the set one day, as though suddenly emerging from a great fog. I found that these people, who had worried me so much to start with, I now knew individually. I discovered that I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

People often ask me if I found it difficult to play the role of Juliet. I must admit I never thought of it in that sense. I merely tried my best to do what Castellani asked of me. He is a wonderful person – small volcanic, with a typical Latin temperament, one minute crying and tearing his hair, the next laughing like a schoolboy at some joke. We were all under his spell. He never lost patience with me, though he must have often felt like doing so.

Before shooting a scene, he would spend hours explaining the significance of it to me. He would say: ‘It is what you feel that metters. Never think too much about what about what you are doing. If you have it here – pointing to his heart – it will be alright. You will see’.  He was tireless and a perfectionist. He would rehearse until every detail was perfect, so that when we came to shoot I could forget the technicalities and concentrate on my heart !  This must have been extremely frustrating for all the others taking part, but they were wonderful to me, especially Flora Robson.

I shall ever be grateful for Flora’s kindness and sympathy, and the advice she gave me. She was always ready with a word of encouragement. I remember I found it extremely difficult to cry – really cry. Castellani did not approve of using glycerine or fake tears, and he was quite sure I must have plenty to cry about anyway ! Then Flora explained to me the ‘technicalities of crying’ and told me the story of the origin of the beautiful song ‘Loch Lomond’, which has always brought  tears to my eyes. So, after that,  I was able to weep on request.

I had been told about Venice, but when the time came to go there from Rome, I was hardly prepared for that magical city. It completely took my breath away. I found it absolutely fascinating to travel everywhere by gondola or walk the narrow streets. We started shooting in the Ca d’oro, a famous old museum  on the Grand Canal.

The weather was appalling, and in one particular bad storm the canal water came up several feet and came flooding on to the set. All the lights went out and to add to the confusion, a crate of pigeons was knocked over and the pigeons escaped. The uproar was unbelievable. The Italian Unit blamed the English Unit and vice versa.  At last, when things looked like getting out of hand, Castellani decided to call it a day.

As we were all working so hard, no-one felt like much more than a meal and bed at the end of a day’s shooting. That is why the party given for my Birthday was such a wonderful surprise.  Norman Wooland suggested that I should stroll along to the set with him, as he ‘wished to see someone’. Unsuspecting, I went – to find the entire unit in the courtyard of the Cap d’Ora. On  a table was the most enormous cake I’ve ever seen with Birthdau Greetings in Italian and bottles of local wine called Guilietta.

It was a wonderful party. Larry and I cut the cake with the dagger ( the one with which later we were both to meet our ‘deaths’ ) and handed pieces round to everyone. I was so deeply moved I nearly cried.  This was my reward for all the despair, the tears, the long hours, the exhaustion. To know that all these people were my friends, that they acres enough to arran ge this, made it all seem worth while. I realised what people had told me; that the film business gets into your blood – and heart.

From Venice we moved to Verona, the home, according to legend, of Romeo and Juliet.  It was here that I first saw some of the rushes of the film. I remember being terrified at the thought of seeing myself on the screen. However, when I did, I found it quite impossible to associate myself  with the girl I saw; she seemed so remote and utterly unlike myself.. After that, I lost all fear of seeing the film. I found it as impersonal as watching someone else.

We all found working in the heat very trying. The temperature was around 112 degrees, on top of which we had the lights and heavy costumes. Castellani would produce two hot-water bottles which he filled with ice, and at every available opportunity would lay on our foreheads.  I think this really only increased our discomfort, but we could hardly tell him so.

Gradually, the shooting of the film was completed. One be one, people finished their parts and went home. At last it was my turn. There was the last day’s work in a little mountain village near Siena; then the farewells, the mad dash to catch the train to Rome,  and the arrival at London Airport one cold October day. It seemed unbelievable that the whole wonderful experience had not been a dream. But I have my proof that it was not, and I know I shall always have happy memories of that Italian Summer.

The future ?  I am always being asked if I will make more films. The answer is ‘No’.  Without a dierector of Castellani’s calibre, I don’t think I would be capable of doing so.  My ambitions now centred solely on my marriage and new home.

Now, after the London premiere of Romeo and Juliet – when, for the last time, I shall see all those well-known faces – my wonderful year will be all over. But what a story to tell my Grandchildren.

I have to say that writing this article as above, has proved one of the most interesting tasks I had had doing this Blog. From finding a scene from this film in one of my old Film Annuals with a picture of Susan Shentall – who I had never heard of up to that point – to then finding out her astonishing story and then delving further into any information I could glean – to finishing with this article  actually  In Her Own Words.

She is sadly no longer with us so the question I would have liked to ask her can never be answered – I wonder if, for a brief moment, she maybe regretted  leaving this film career behind after such success AND the ‘the wonderful year’ she had or maybe she was quite happy with her one year in film land. I hope she had a happy life though.

What an interesting item from an old Local Newspaper which gives us a great insight into what was showing a SIX different cinemas in the Summer of 1958 Some of these films I have to admit I am not familiar with.

At the Essoldo was Down Payment with Joanne Woodward and Cameron Mitchell supported by Body Beautiful with Susan Morrow and Robert Clark from 1953.

The Pavilion showed ‘Drums of Tahiti’ which was made in 3 D and gets some good reviews. Typical South Sea Island type film – which I love – A 3-D Production from producer Sam Katzman which is  quite good  as B-movie’s go, with Dennis O’Keefe involved in smuggling guns into Tahiti to fight the French, and finding romance along the way. Some nice scenery – filmed in Technicolor. Also at the Pavilion was The Golden Mistress which starred John Agar and Rosemarie Bowe who later married Robert Stack and was happily married to him for 47 years until his death. She gets very good reviews for this one but did not pursue her film career after she married in 1956. Co-starring was John Agar who was also in the film showing at The Royal ‘ Gog’  a Sci-Fi Film made in 3D. I do not think though that these were shown in 3D at that time.

On to the Majestic Cinema which was showing a new film Orders to Kill with Paul Massie and Eddie Albert and a cast of good quality British Actors. I have read this review :-

This World War II movie has a realistic well written script, good acting. I saw this movie 40 years ago and have never forgotten it. The tragedy is that it apparently did not have big promotional dollars behind it so has never reappeared. Nine stars out of ten.

Also at The Majestic – The Narrowing Circle with Paul Carpenter and Hazel Court made in 1956. This sounds like one that would be shown on Talking Pictures – that wonderful TV channel in Britain.

At the ABC formerly The Ritz was Dale Robertson in Top of the World – a spy adventure film set close to the North Pole – With the tag line ‘Trapped on a Crumbling Island of Ice – 500 Mile from Nowhere’

Also at the ABC – Chicago Syndicate with Dennis O Keefe and Abbe Lane. A film about Chicago Gangsters.

Here again as with John Agar,  Dennis O Keefe was appearing in TWO different films at different Cinemas in the town.

Saddle The Wind with Robert Taylor was billed for the following week – this is a good and well remembered film from MGM  that had all the publicity on release.

Then at The Roxy – which had been called The Globe’ – was a well known one ‘Where The River Bends’ originally released in 1952 with James Stewart. With is was Headline Hunters – from Republic Pictures  with Rod Cameron – and for a change for Rod Cameron – not a Western.

Going through this list has reminded me of certain films and introduced me to others – and other films stars too like Rosemarie Bowe ( Stack) – who in truth I knew little about.

This film has only just come to my notice, and seems to have grabbed my interest mainly because of the fact that the film Director Renato Castellani chose a young British girl, Susan Shentall to play Juliet mainly because her looks were such that she fitted the character PERFECTLY.

A big film with  Laurence Harvey and filmed mainly in Italy – and beautifully filmed at that in  glorious Technicolor.

This version has Laurence Harvey as Romeo opposite  Susan Shentall’s Juliet. They seem to generate a soft glow between them that gradually picks up heat.  Juliet’s death scene is rather stark and complete as it should be and Susan Shentall’s acting was so good  that she gave Juliet’s death a type of dignity rarely seen on screen.

Some of the location filming in Italy comes beautifully to the screen – again in  glorious Technicolor.

Below: This is one particular comment from someone who loved this film – some of the words slightly changed though.

Never have the personalities of the two lovers been so intensely portrayed in the screen. Susan Shentall conveys all the fire of  first love and the impending tragedy that will follow it. Laurence Harvey, manages to convey Romeo’s brash, passionate  nature. The great Robert Krasker’s photography is the work of a  master: each picture frame reflects a Renaisssance painting, as well as the sets (all original ones in Venice, Padova, Verona and Siena), costumes and the décor. The best names then available in those fields in Europe were recruited to recreate what Romeo and Juliet’s Verona should have been.

The result is a joy to watch.  The ball scene alone could receive all the prizes this film was awarded in the 1954 Venice Film Festival. Roman Vlad’s  musical comment is a lesson in itself. When compared to Castellani’s masterpiece, all other versions seem like pale, unfocused, poor readings of Shakespeare’s immortal tragedy.
Castellani “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the greatest films of all time. Castellani was surely not a Visconti nor a Rosselini, but his “Romeo and Juliet” is absolute perfection.

After Reading this, the Trailer to the film ABOVE – will really whet your appetite and show the scale and beauty of this classic film – PLEASE just take a few minutes to watch it.

It is always a Red Letter Day, when the Post arrives and that large white Envelope appears – it contains the latest edition of the wonderful Movie Memories Magazine produced by Chris Roberts  who has done this for quite a few years now and has attained a large following.

The TV Channel Talking Pictures to my mind, is helped very much by Chris who really promotes the film era that is their core business. The other afternoon on Radio 5 Mark Kermode was reviewing films – mainly New ones – but a reference was made to Talking Pictures and Mark said that through all his Social Media and emails, the TV Channel most often mentioned nowadays, is Talking Pictures.

Anyway back to Chris and Movie Memories Magazine – I really recommend anyone with an interest in the Films of the Fifties and Earlier of course to subscribe to this magazine.

Visit   www.moviememoriesmagazine.com and reserve your regular copy

 Susan Shentall and Laurence Harvey in Romeo and Juliet in 1954

Susan Shentall left acting straight after this film and never appeared on screen again. She married  married Philip Worthington

What became of actress Susan Shentall, who played Juliet opposite Laurence Harvey’s Romeo in the 1954 film?  She never trained as an actress and appeared in only that one film.

The story of her ‘discovery’ is that the film’s producer had been unable to find an established actress who matched his ideal of an ‘English rose’ to play the part.

Then, in a hotel restaurant, he spotted Susan, just 17, while she was on holiday with her parents in Paris. He asked permission for Susan to audition for the part, and promptly offered it to her.

What a story this is for a young girl to be cast in such a big film at the time – and then to turn her back on a potential film career. She obviously found great happiness with her husband and three children – so all worked out well

The film received three BAFTA nominations and won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice film festival.

However, Susan never acted again, choosing instead, at the age of 19, to marry her fiancé, Philip Worthington, ( pictured with her above) with whom she raised three children.

She died ten years ago, following a long illness.

Above: Director Renato Castellani demonstrating what he requires for the scene.

Above:  Susan Shentall and Sebastian Cabot – having a bit of fun on the set of Romeo and Juliet

Here are some reviews :-

Laurence Harvey is perfect as the young Romeo. He brings genuine love and pathos to his character that is heart-rending.

Susan Shentall’s gives the most intelligent and moving execution of this challenging role I’ve ever witnessed. She, like Harvey, overcome minor matters of age to make these characters their own.

Who could be a better nurse than the great Flora Robson, or Norman Wooland a finer Paris?

Roman Vlad’s original score is wonderful, and he’s composed a Gallilard that becomes a haunting motif as it’s reprised throughout in different variations.

Susan Shentell brings a lovely gentle quality to Juliet and looks ravishing.