The Clandestine Marriage is a 1999 British comedy film directed by Christopher Miles and starring Nigel Hawthorne, Joan Collins, Timothy Spall and Tom Hollander. It is based on the 1766 play The Clandestine Marriage by David Garrick and George Colman. This was also the final role for Nigel Hawthorne before his death.
Contents
Cast
Nigel Hawthorne as Lord Ogleby
Joan Collins as Mrs. Heidelberg
Timothy Spall as Sterling
Tom Hollander as Sir John Ogelby
Paul Nicholls as Richard Lovewell
Natasha Little as Fanny
Emma Chambers as Betsy
Cyril Shaps as Canton
Ray Fearon as Brush
Mark Burns as Capstick
Timothy Bateson as Gaoler
Craster Pringle as Ruben
Lara Harvey as Lucy
Jenny Galloway as Mrs Trusty
Philippa Stanton as Chamber
Cavan Kendall as Sergeant Flower
Roger Hammond as Traverse
Plot
Mr. Sterling is incredibly wealthy, but to his dismay not an aristocrat. He believes his social status will rise if he marries off his daughter Betsy to an aristocrat. Unknown to him however, his other daughter Fanny has already secretly married the man she loves, her fathers' clerk Richard Lovewell. To complicate matters, she is also pregnant. Sir John Ogleby is presented as a candidate to marry Betsy, and he and his father Lord Ogleby visit Mr. Sterling to make up the contract. Secretly, however, Lord Ogleby is impoverished and needs this marriage to provide his family with new wealth. While preparations are made to celebrate the engagement of Betsy and Sir John, including the building of a new fountain which will be the highlight of the feast and the centre piece of Mr. Sterlings' Rococo garden, Fanny and Richard are trying to find a way to keep their marriage a secret, whilst Sir John seems to be much more interested in Fanny rather than Betsy. In the end, the secrets are out. But all ends well, when Fanny and Richard are forgiven, and Lord Ogleby himself marries Betsy.