Review for The Good Beginning

This quirky post-war b-movie is a really worthwhile watch for a number of reasons. Firstly, it betrays more than a hint of post-war propaganda as Britain continued to lick its wounds and re-build for what would become the swinging sixties. It’s also an absolutely fascinating study of social conventions of the day as well as offering up some illuminating shots of everyday life, like street scenes, market places and ‘modern’ flats.


Running at a super-frugal 62 minutes it really feels more like a TV episode than a fully-fledged film, although that was sort of what it was – a low-budget precursor to regular soap dramas on TV.
The film centres around a newly married couple as they try to negotiate a path through financial insecurity, and the resulting tension that is placed upon their relationship. John Fraser and Eileen Moore take the lead roles, with Peter Reynolds and then-aspiring fifties starlet Lana Morris among a solid supporting cast.
After their honeymoon, Johnny Lipton and his wife Kit move into their small but modern apartment. Kit runs the flat on a tight budget, for she hopes that one day – with her support – her husband will eventually run his own business. He’s working as an estate agent and Kit believes that he should strike out on his own. After all, their neighbours seem to enjoy the finer things in life – not least a mink coat.

Feeling the pressure to perform, Johnny uses a small rise he has to put down a deposit on a mink coat which he gives to his wife, reassuring her that it is fully paid for. But when she discovers that his promotion has meant more money she makes demands on it, leaving poor Johnny short and unable to properly keep up payments on the coat. Fearing that it will be re-possessed he resorts to ‘borrowing’ some petty cash from his employer and putting it on a sure-fire win at the races. Although the horse does come in at extraordinary odds, the bet was placed with an unscrupulous middle-man who refuses to pay up.


Despite their travails they somehow manage to muddle through and resolve to make a fresh start – a new beginning where prudence and care will bring peace of mind and longer term stability. Lesson learned – roll the credits!

The film was originally slated to be made in 1950 with an A-List cast (rather than the relative unknowns in this) but finances were pulled at the last minute. As a result, director Lance Comfort was eventually replaced by a first-time film director, David Kossoff who went on to star in many British films and TV shows (including The Larkins, The Mouse that Roared, I am a Camera etc) and who was the father of ill-fated guitar genius Paul Kossoff (Free) who tragically died of a drugs over-dose.


‘The Good Beginning’ looks great in what is described as ‘a brand-new transfer from the original film elements’ and is in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.

The only extra feature is an original trailer.

It’s lots of fun, absolutely fascinating and, if you have an interest in such things, well worth adding to your collection, despite its low-budget, B-picture status.