"Aunt Clara" was probably a vehicle for Margaret Rutherford to display her unique subtle, disarming type of humor. I say probably because the picture was hijacked by Ronald Shiner, a vaudeville-type given to bombast and overacting.
"You don't know anything about dogs" - "I'm very fond of dogs".That little exchange demonstrates the culture-gap between Henry (Ronald Shiner) and Clara (Margaret Rutherford), as he tries to shield her from the murky world of the greyhound stadium.
When an elderly gentleman dies, he bequeaths his fortune to his maiden niece - "Clara" (Margaret Rutherford). On the outside, a naive old biddy but once she gets to grips wither late uncle's rather extensive - and not always above board - estate, she decides to follow up on his instructions "to look after" those less fortunate and by a combination of shrewdness, honesty - and a fair degree of dumb luck, sets about her tasks.
I would agree with 2 of the previous reviewers who have highlighted a major problem with this film,Ronnie Shiner.The director seems content to let him bulldoze everyone else out of the way,overacting wildly.
In the 1930's, MGM's Marie Dressler won the hearts of movie goers around the world with her earthy demeanor and way of stealing a scene even from the likes of Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow. She was a woman in her 60's, rather heavy and with eyes and jowls that resembled a St.
This was Margaret Rutherford's favourite film and it's not difficult to see why as she is given full reign to her comic abilities. She is charming throughout and works well particularly in scenes with Ronald Shiner.
Margaret Rutherford claimed her favorite movie role was as Aunt Clara and I can understand why. When wealthy, irascible A.
"Aunt Clara" is a cute little British comedy. While it's not exactly a laugh out loud movie, it is sweet and worth seeing.
Margaret Rutherford was amazingly endearing. Despite her tiny stature and her lack of physical attributes to recommend her, indeed despite the largest flabby chin ever possessed by a woman in the history of the cinema, her ponderous physique, her wobbly face, and countless other handicaps to elegance, she had a magic which transcended all these limitations and made her loved by the public.
