This is a delightful comedy and, what is more, it is neither devoid of depth nor lacking in intelligence. The idea is simple. Fans make a film star weary. He is so fed up with life than he accepts becoming the prize of a love lottery. He finds love on the way, but can't get married since he is engaged to the future winner. The winner -another girl- realizes after a day with him that her first love is more her type. The End. Admittedly, it's a slim story line, but David Niven makes it great fun, and Charles Crichton adds some delightfully ironical moments (he did make "A fish called Wanda" later). All in all a much under-rated comedy, worth many better-known ones. Definitely worth seeing.

It's a paradox that "The Love Lottery" is a delightful comedy largely without laughs (except for one very big one at the end which I won't reveal, though it's worth the wait).

A statistician (Herbert Lom, later to become the hilarious eternal foil of Inspector Clouseau) approaches Errol Flynn-esque film star Rex Allerton (David Niven, who knew Flynn personally) with the notion of raffling himself off as a groom to marry the lucky winner.

Niven's character, troubled by dreams of a beautiful young woman he's never met (Peggy Cummins) thinks the idea ludicrous until Lom's colleague Jane helps seduce the actor into playing along.

While Cummins' star-struck character (Sally) stocks up on lottery tickets Rex and Jane begin falling for each other. Will they find married bliss together, or will the fear of jilting a quarter of a million ticket holders keep Rex from tying the knot prematurely?

The most amusing scenes are the ones reminiscent of Buster Keaton's "Seven Chances." And if you don't know what I mean, look it up.

The most notable feature of the movie is the brief appearance of rising talents: Gordon Jackson, Theodore Bikel and Sebastian Cabot, all destined to varying degrees of international fame in the 1960s.

This 1954 Ealing comedy is pleasant enough, but does stand out for a few distinctive features.

The international settings around Lake Como are splendid, especially since we're fortunate, in that they are presented in colour.

David Niven gives a lively, energetic, physical performance, even though (somewhat incongruously) he is playing a burnt out, but very popular matinee idol.

The rather bland script is given extra life when one considers, the main storyline involving a competition to raffle Niven's character to be married off, anticipates popular (I seriously don't know why.),contemporary reality TV shows such as Married at First Sight, The Farmer Wants a Wife and The Bachelor.

Lastly, the concluding scene, filmed overlooking the Thames River, includes one of the great actors of the 40's and 50's in a surprising wordless cameo. It's a corker and does finish the movie on the right note.