Twice Upon a Time is a 1953 British comedy film directed by Emeric Pressburger and starring Hugh Williams, Elizabeth Allan and Jack Hawkins. It was written by Pressburger and Wendy Orme based on the 1949 novel Lisa and Lottie by Erich Kästner. It was shot at Shepperton Studios with sets designed by the art director Arthur Lawson.
Lotte and Lisa had already been adapted into the films Two Times Lotte (1950) and Hibari no komoriuta (1951). Twice Upon a Time was the first English-language film adaptation; the story was later twice adapted as The Parent Trap (1961 and 1998) and has been remade a number of times in English and other languages.
The film is the only solo directing credit for Pressburger, whose other directing credits are in association with Michael Powell.
Contents
Plot
Twin sisters are separated when their parents divorce. They meet again by accident when they are sent to the same summer camp, and they hatch a plan to reunite their parents.
Cast
Hugh Williams as James Turner
Elizabeth Allan as Carol-Anne Bailey
Jack Hawkins as Dr. Mathews
Yolande Larthe as Carol Turner
Charmian Larthe as Anne Bailey
Violette Elvin as Florence la Riche
Isabel Dean as Miss Burke
Michael Gough as Mr. Lloyd
Walter Fitzgerald as Professor Reynolds
Jeanne Stuart as Mrs. Jamieson
Nora Gordon as Emma
Martin Miller as Eipeldauer
Lily Kann as Mrs. Eipeldauer
Collin Wilcox as Ian
Jack Lambert as Ernest
Pat Baker as Sonia
Isabel George as Molly
Alanna Boyce as Susie
Margaret McCourt as Wendy
Myrette Morven as Miss Rupert
Margaret Boyd as Mrs. Kinnaird
Cicely Walper as Mrs. Maybridge
Mollie Terraine as Miss Wellington
Archie Duncan as doorman
Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This piece of whimsy suffers from generally lifeless direction, a pace unremittingly slow, and, apart from the performances of Jack Hawkins and Elizabeth Allan as the doctor and mother respectively, very indifferent acting. The whole picture is dressed up with expensive locations, including interior shots of Covent Garden, and an uninspired ballet sequence."
The Daily Film Renter wrote: "The production is geared by screenplay writer, producer and director Emeric Pressburger to appeal to just that vast section of the public which buys women's weeklies. It is polite and nothing heavy obtrudes. ... A woman's picture if ever there was one."