The BBFC do not mention that on its original release this was given an ' X ' certificate for adults only in the UK, and was cut for an ' A ' certificate when children under 16 could see it with an adult. I have original film magazines of the time that says so, and also newspaper cuttings. Nancy Mitford wrote the script from a French play by Andre Roussin. It is great fun from beginning to end. and the wonderful Ava Gardner is great at comedy, with both David Niven and Stewart Granger giving equally fine performances. It is underrated and I have no idea why. The subject matter of a threesome on a desert island plus a fourth towards the end ( hilarious ) could have been too much for the critics of the time. Despite the situation which lightly resolves around sex would have been perhaps better received if it had been a foreign film and not from respectable English people of the 1950's. The only DVD of it can be found in Italy and is in English and I urge everyone who loves sophisticated comedy to get hold of it or wait for rare showings on television. The little hut has its secrets and I give no spoilers, but just a hint. There is a telephone between the big hut and the little hut is hilarious and Ava Gardner is superb at using it. I give it a 10 because it is well directed, perfectly acted and has surprises that surprise every time, and I cannot even count the number of times I have seen this film. I cannot praise it highly enough, and it will dissolve any depression or sadness. The joy of life itself and how many times do you see that on the screen ?
Review of The Little Hut
