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Laurence Olivier is a Russian who comes to the U.K. to work on a propeller in "The Demi-Paradise," a 1943 propaganda film directed by Anthony Asquith. Since the Russians became allies in World War II, much was done in film so that they would be seen in a favorable light. At first, Ivan, the Olivier character, regards everyone with suspicion, having heard all sorts of clichés about the English. But with time, they win him over, helped by the daughter (Penelope Ward) of the man in charge of building the ship that will house the propeller.

Olivier's accent is good, but as someone pointed out, the slow way he speaks makes him seem dumb, which, as an engineer, he isn't. On the other hand, it's probably realistic, since it would be a second language.

There are a few funny scenes, and the film is infected with a lot of warmth. It's good, but not great.

In between making That Hamilton Woman and Henry V both of which could be argued were better contributions to the propaganda front of the British war effort, Laurence Olivier made this film about a Soviet engineer who designs a new type ship propeller and the government contracts with a British firm to build and install it on a ship. This is taking place in 1939 before any general war breaks out in Europe.

Two things I found interesting about The Demi-Paradise. Firstly the fact that the proper name of the country, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, or the Soviet Union is never used once in the film. Olivier always refers to his country as Russia, as do the others in the cast. Secondly, you never hear one word about the German-Soviet non- aggression pact. I suppose that might have been better than the clumsy explanations given in the American film Mission to Moscow.

But whether Czarist or Marxist it's a different world that Olivier steps into when he arrives in the United Kingdom. He's pretty suspicious at first, but his interaction with British people in all walks of life gradually wins him over. Not the least of which is pretty Penelope Ward who's conducting a campaign of her own as far as Olivier is concerned.

Hardly the greatest film Olivier ever did. Then again he nor anyone else managed to get themselves blacklisted over it, did they?

THE DEMI-PARADISE (original title, UK 1943) is an opportunistic piece of propaganda, with the great Laurence Olivier playing a Russian engineer trying to build a propeller for an ice breaker to operate in the Baltic, with the assistance of obviously superior British engineers.

In the midst of the propaganda against the backdrop of a war that until 1942 had not gone in Great Britain's favor, you even get to see historic pageants, and an apology for the UK colonizing half of the planet.

This film is an interesting document of the mindset of the day, when Great Britain was still the empire on which the sun never set, but it does not really work from a cinematographic standpoint. Photography is average, acting so-so, and the screenplay carries some extremely cheesy holes.

Strikingly elegant Penelope Dudley-Ward conveniently represents Britain's openness to a loving relationship with the USSR, but there's really no chemistry spark between her and Olivier. It's as totally unconvincing a love affair as this is as piece of film-making.

Perhaps the most interesting comment to be made about THE DEMI-PARADISE is that by 1945 Winston Churchill was referring to the Soviet Union as the "iron curtain," and warning about the dangers of the USSR's occupation of Eastern Europe, and by 1948 the Cold War had started in earnest.

Really strange bedfellows, therefore. Thankfully, Dudley-Ward is very easy on the eye, especially when she smiles, but even her beautiful face cannot save this overlong piece of propaganda.

I suffered watching it because of Covid-prompted confinement but rest assured that I'll not watch it again.

One has to keep in mind that this British comedy, about the experiences of a Soviet engineer in Britain, was produced at a critical point in the relations between those two nations. Due to the fact that Joseph Stalin had signed a non-aggression pact with Adolf Hitler, the Soviet Union remained neutral after Britain and France went to war against Germany in 1939. The Soviets didn't come into the war as an ally of Britain until the middle of 1941, after Germany invaded Russia. It was not an easiest alliances. Unlike the case of Britain and the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union had almost nothing in common, either politically or linguistically. In fact, British relations with the Soviet Union had been strained ever since the 1917 Revolution.

The Demi-Paradise was produced as an aid to bridging the cultural gap between those two allies, at least from the British point of view. I have no idea whether it was ever shown in Russia, let alone how it would have been perceived by audiences there.

The story concerns a Russian engineer, played by Olivier, who encounters a pair of British seamen ashore in Murmansk during World War II. Typically, the British are complaining about the difficulties they are having among the "foreigners". To their astonishment, Olivier jokingly informs them in English that it is they who are the "foreigners" in Russia, and then proceeds to recount his own experiences as a "foreigner" when he was assigned to do a job in Britain both before, and during, the war.

In addition to being a wartime propaganda film, The Demi-Paradise is full of the sort of self-deprecating humor the British seem to love. While produced in Britain, the script actually was written by a Russian ex-patriot, Anatole de Grunwald. Consequently, one cannot help but feel that the writer brought a lot of his own personal experiences and impressions into the story. The result is very droll, and one cannot help but feel that the protagonist's experiences are probably universal to any stranger in a strange land.

Good example of the type of movies made in England during the war, to keep spirits up. The Brits never seem to engage in gung-ho war stuff: which makes for more pleasant viewing.

While nowhere near the league of, say, "A Canterbury Tale", The Demi-Paradise has enough realism (of the British character) to while away a pleasant hour and a half.

Almost two hours long, D.P.starts out in Russia, with some British travelers meeting with a Russian; we quickly flash back to when one of the Russians had traveled to London on business. Laurence Olivier is Ivan Kouznetskoff, who recounts his experience in Britain many years ago, both pleasant and unpleasant. British "Ann" ( Penelope Dudley ) is his new love interest, and that is an on again/off again relationship. Viewers will recognize Margaret Rutherford (plays Rowena Ventnor) - Rutherford played Agatha Christie's Jane Marple during the 1960s. Olivier's accent is iffy, but they DO capture the proud complaining that is prevalent in some Russians (as well as some Americans, some Britains...) Of course, the story takes place deep in the middle of world war II now, and also about the time of the Haye's movie production period back in the U.S., so I'm guessing some parts of the original story were left out of the film. Writer Anatole de Grunwald had actually fled Russia as a young boy with his family during the Russian Revolution, so its interesting that his main character would extol the virtues of the common worker society. Entertaining two hours, but Ivan is so cold throughout, that we don't get too drawn into the story. The second half is more about their relationship, and less about comparing Great Britain to Russia, and what a snob Ivan is.

Young Russian inventor Ivan Kouznetsoff (Sir Lawrence Olivier) brings his new design and prototype for an underwater ice-breaker propeller to pre-war England (1938-39) in hopes of presenting it to world famous engineer and shipbuilder, Mr. Runalow (Felix Aylmer), hopefully for production. He coincidentally meets Mr. Runalow's granddaughter, Ann (Penelope Dudley-Ward), who takes him under her wing and home to the family. Culture shock (in both directions) permeates his every experience and interaction. The development of mutual understanding is the sub-plot, hastened by Hitler's invasion of Russia during Kouznetsoff's second trip to England and its subsequent synergy of combined effort to assist Russia and to complete the ship with the cutting edge propeller.

Having worked for 2+ years with émigrés from Russia who lived through WWII and were contemporaries with this film, Olivier's interpretation of Russian sensibility was of great interest to me and he did a very fine job. One of Olivier's best performances, in this writer's opinion. Well written script and dialog. Performances of Felix Aylmer and Penelope Dudley-Ward were quite enjoyable. Felix Aylmer as a wise genius in this film bears notice in contrast to his role as Polonius in Olivier's Hamlet. The film held my undivided attention the entire two hours.

Highly recommended for anyone with high interest in inter-cultural relations. Given human nature's propensity for alienating others who display any differences, the making of this film was a stroke of genius. Hopefully it was widely viewed at that time (1943) and provoked reflection. If a picture is worth 1000 words, a moving picture is worth 1000 pictures. Kouznetsoff's speech at the ship's christening and launch is priceless - remarkably apt and inspiring.

During WWII, the American and British film industry made quite a few films that attempted to rehabilitate the perceptions about the Russian people. That's because before the war, they were the enemy, but now that the three countries were allies, the government pushed film makers to portray the Russians in very glowing terms. In the States, films like THE NORTH STAR gave a sickeningly sweet view of the Russians that were just too good to be true. THE DEMI-PARADISE is a British film that also seeks to made the Russians seem more human--more like our friends.

It's interesting to see the famous actor Laurence Olivier playing Ivan Kouznetsoff--a Russian who talks to some British seamen during the war about his visit to London before the war. His accent seemed okay to me, but who am I to judge?! Anyways, the film is all told in flashback form. For the most part, Olivier's character is a bit standoffish and seems to think everything Russian is better--though this improves a bit through the course of the film. As for the Brits, they range from a few suspicious idiots to those who keep pointing out how "they are just like us". A father even wonders out loud about what a great husband Kouznetsoff would make. Talk about over-idealizing the Russians. As a result, the people in the film seem more like caricatures than real people. And as for Olivier, he seemed a bit silly--very stereotypical and broad in his portrayal.

Now despite me not loving this film and disliking how unreal everyone seemed, it was a good bit better than the WWII Hollywood films that were pro-Russia. They went even further to idealize Russia--to such a point that the films are downright dumb, as no group of people is THAT wonderful and happy and full of spunk! Overall, it's an interesting curio but certainly not a film you should run out to rent.

This film is relatively unknown which is a mystery to me. It is one of the great wartime fims of the period.

A wonderfully written story with great direction and a perfect cast. Lord Olivier is absolutely marvelous in the lead, as one might expect, but the supporting actors are equally marvelous with special mention to Penelope Dudley-Ward who charms from her first entrance. Olivier's Russian accent never waivers for a moment but some of his best scenes are those in which ha has no dialogue at all. His bit of business and subtle facial expressions show his immense talent.

See this film if you have the opportunity.

Watching 'The Demi-Paradise', a reference by the way to the beginning of John of Gaunt's speech in 'Richard II', with my godparents just over a week ago, there were quite a few reasons in wanting to see it. Really like satires, whether razor sharp and gentle. Am familiar with Anthony Asquith's work and like what has been seen of it, including two of the best film adaptations of Terrence Rattigan's plays and the best version of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.

Also like a lot of the actors/actresses, the most familiar to me being Laurence Olivier, Margaret Rutherford and Felix Aylmer. The subject was interesting, though did worry as to whether it would get over-serious or preachy, considering the period it was made in. 'The Demi Paradise' struck me as a mostly successful film with several good to great elements, without quite reaching greatness. Not a paradise, not a dystopia either, just a nice entertaining and inoffensive way to spend 107 or so minutes.

For me, the first half was better than the second. The first has a lot of breezy charm and gentle humour, while the second was while still amiable enough a little over-serious and lacked the first half's energy.

The characters are written somewhat stereotypically and despite being well acted by a great cast do have to agree that they never do feel like real people, with the exception of Ivan who does evolve. Maybe it is a touch too long by 10 minutes or so.

However, 'The Demi-Paradise' looks lovely. Particularly loved the sumptuous costumes, Penelope Dudley-Ward had some wonderful ones, and interiors, complemented beautifully by the photography. The music score rouses and is orchestrated with lushness while Asquith directs as assuredly as ever. It's drolly scripted, with the gentle humour boasting some genuinely funny moments.

Playing a big part in 'The Demi-Paradise's' appeal is its immense charm, which doesn't feel too old-fashioned now and just about avoids heavy-handedness. The ending speech is inspiring and quite moving, and the film didn't feel dull or too much like a filmed stage play. The cast are very good. Olivier is commanding and doesn't overdo or underplay, also doing credibly with the accent if not perhaps mastering it. Dudley-Ward radiates on screen and Rutherford is splendidly dotty. My favourite supporting performance came from a sincere Aylmer as the film's warmest and most likeable character, though Edie Martin is also wonderfully batty.

On the whole, nicely done film. 7/10

Amazing how this propaganda piece became obsolete in two years! By 1945, Winston Churchill was warning about the dangers of Soviet Russia occupying Eastern Europe, and describing the USSR as the "iron curtain."

Penelope Dudley-Ward is elegance and beauty personified. Laurence Olivier's talent is wasted in this poitical piece at the height of WWII, which even manages to glorify the then empire on which the sun never set.

Times have changed. THE DEMI-PARADISE is a capsule from a time that was far from paradisiac...

This delightful romantic comedy has a situation similar to "Ninotchka" from several years earlier, but with the genders reversed: Loyal but somewhat naive Soviet apparatchik visits a Western capitalist country on serious business, is squired through the strange ways of his/her host nation by a light-hearted but likable native toward whom he/she develops romantic feelings, and alters his/her views on Soviet/West differences. Garbo and Douglas were incomparable in "Ninotchka," but Olivier, in an offbeat role for him, and Dudley Ward hold their own in this comic exploration of people's preconceived ideas about one another (the Russian assumes all English businessmen are "exploiters," the English boarders at a rooming house won't eat at the table with "one of them (a Russian communist)." Definitely worth seeing.

Laurence Olivier was never the warmest of screen personalities, but he displays considerable charm in this pro-Soviet propaganda piece despite his unconvincing Russian accent. It seems odd to see such a British movie portraying the Soviets in such a positive light though, and it has to totally ignore their political ideology in order to do so. The supporting cast includes such familiar character actors as Felix Aylmer, Margaret Rutherford, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole and Harry Fowler.