Film Snail

7.0

The Gentle Sex

NR·1943·92m

Comedy

Drama

War

Comedy

Drama

War

Summary

During the War seven women from very different backgrounds find themselves together in the Auxiliary Territorial Services. They are soon drilling, driving lorries, and manning ack-ack batteries.

Cast

Joan Gates

Gwen Hayden

Jean Gillie

Joan Greenwood

Betty Miller

Joyce Howard

Anne Lawrence

Rosamund John

Maggie Fraser

Lilli Palmer

Erna Debruski

Barbara Waring

Joan Simpson

John Justin

Flying Officer David Sheridan

Elliott Mason

Mrs. Fraser

Tony Bazell

Ted

Frederick Leister

Colonel Lawrence

Everley Gregg

Miss Simpson

John Laurie

Scots Corporal

Mary Jerrold

Mrs. Sheridan

Meriel Forbes

Junior Commander Davis

Noreen Craven

Convoy Sergeant

Miles Malleson

Tran Guard

Jimmy Hanley

1st Soldier

Frederick Peisley

2nd Soldier

Ronald Shiner

Racegoer

Harry Welchman

Captain Ferrier

Rosalyn Boulter

Telephonist

Leslie Howard

Narrator (voice)

Grace Arnold

Restaurant Attendant (uncredited)

Frank Atkinson

Restaurant Customer (uncredited)

Claude Bailey

Staff Officer (uncredited)

Hyma Beckley

Man at Railway Station (uncredited)

Peter Cotes

Taffy (uncredited)

Amy Dalby

Lady Behind the Bar at the Dance (uncredited)

Richard George

Naval Officer (uncredited)

Jack May

Postman (uncredited)

Roland Pertwee

Captain (uncredited)

Johnnie Schofield

Sgt. in Dance Cafe (uncredited)

Nicholas Stuart

British Officer (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Leslie Howard

Writer

Moie Charles

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 26, 2022

This is more of a docu-drama, depicting as it does the efforts of the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in the UK during WWII. It's not quite propaganda - it does show some of the hairier, scarier aspects of their jobs amidst the war - but it does largely focus on the huge range of tasks they undertook from sight-ranging for the guns trying to stop the doodlebugs to driving essential supplies from one end of the country to the other to keep the logistical wheels of warfare working efficiently. Leslie Howard has interwoven these factually based scenarios with some strong fictional characterisations from the likes of Joan Greenwood and Lilli Palmer supported by John Laurie, Jimmy Handley and Miles Malleson to create a tapestry effect merging the varied aspects of their lives. It's a fascinating - if maybe just a bit too dry - film to watch that showcases well all the sterling efforts involved.