2.18 [037] Four Star Playhouse: A STRING OF BEADS

21Jan54 CBS Thur

written by Don Ettlinger

Adapted from the William Somerset Maugham story

Directed by William Cameron Menzies

Starring

Ronald Colman, Host

Nigel Bruce ...... Col. Mournay

Angela Lansbury ....... Joan Robinson

Ron Randell ........ Peter Jeffreys

George Macready ........ Count Borselli

Brenda Forbes ......... Edith Livingston

Sean McClory ........ Robert Upton

Sarah Shelby ......... Della Charlton

Ben Wright ........ Jeweller

Synopsis:

Joan Robinson works as a governess for a wealthy family. She attends a party thrown by her employer and, although she is an attractive young woman, she is completely ignored until one of the guests, Count Borselli, appraises the beads she is wearing as a valuable string of pearls. She protests to no avail, knowing they are imitations. Her whole life changes. She is invited to parties and wooed by a fortune hunter. When it's finally learned that the beads are worthless, she is fired and her suitor loses interest. The count admits that provoked by the snobbish socialites, he deliberately lied about the beads. In the end, he and the governess fall in love.

This wonderful comedy-drama uses a framing device with the elegant Ronald Colman as the on-screen narrator, much like Peter Ustinov in "Lola Montes". A lovely young Angela Lansbury plays the maid for a snobbish, prejudiced, household who is captivated by an important Count (George MacReady) attending one of the family's lavish parties.

To "set-up" the stuffed shirts at the party, he points out that she is wearing pearls worth a fortune. She immediately is looked upon in a very different manner and is courted by a gold-digging young man. When it is revealed that the "pearls" are worthless, she is spurned by all.

The happy ending, for this wonderful woman, is quite a lovely surprise.