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Miranda

Miranda title card

Year - 1948
Studio - Sydney Box Productions, Gainsborough Pictures, Rank Pictures
Stars - Glynis Johns, Griffith Jones, Googie Withers, John McCallum, David Tomlinson, Margaret Rutherford
Director -Ken Annakin
Writing Credits - Peter Blackmore (screenplay), Peter Blackmore (play), Denis Waldock (additional dialogue)
Music - Temple Abady

Synopsis

Dr. Paul Martin (Griffith Jones) goes on a holiday, fishing in Cornwall. As he sits alone in his boat, a beautiful mermaid grabs his line and pulls him into the sea, and takes him to her grotto. She (Glynis Johns) introduces herself as "Miranda" and says that she will only release him if he agrees to take her back to London.

Paul carries Miranda into his home, her lower half covered with a blanket. He explains to his wife Clare (Googie Withers) that Miranda is his invalid patient whom he'll be caring for at their home. To assist him, he hires the eccentric Nurse Carey (Margaret Rutherford).

Miranda poster

Not only is the doctor attracted to the beautiful Miranda, she soon equally charms their chauffeur, Charles (David Tomlinson), and a family friend, Nigel (John McCallum). While Clare is at first jealous of Paul's infatuation, she soon deduces the truth about Miranda, when the maid confides that Miranda doesn't have any panties, and seems to spend her nights in the bathtub.

Miranda is amused by the attention paid to her by the three men, but realizes that her visit must end so that their lives can return to normal. With Paul and Clare in pursuit, she leaves the home and returns to the sea.

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Preview Clip

The final scene of the film shows Miranda holding a baby girl mermaid. This started a discussion on the Internet Movie Database as to who the father was.

Miranda was released the same year as the similarly-themed Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid.

Glynis Johns and David Tomlinson were reunited in 1964 as Mr. and Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins. Glynis Johns' father, Mervyn Johns appeared in the Ealing Studios supernatural films, Dead of Night and The Halfway House.