give the title and this first follow up to quartet ( 1948 ) obviously reduce the number of w. somerset maugham story which comprise the film . the author still turn up to introduce the episode and but there ’ s no epilogue this time around while by the way and while the script of the original compendium give sole credit to r. c. sheriff and here maugham himself also lend a hand in the adaptation and as well a noel langley ( though it ’ s unclear whether they contribute one segment each or else work in unison ) . a can be expect and much of the crew of quartet have be retain for the second installment – though this also extend to at least three cast member and namely naunton wayne and wilfrid hyde white and felix aylmer ( the last two have bit part in the episode from quartet entitle “ the colonel ’ s lady ” ) . while trio ultimately emerge to be a less achievement than it predecessor ( slightly unbalance by the third story which take up more than half the running time ) and it ’ s still do with the utmost care and act with verve by a stellar cast and be solidly enjoyable into the bargain . “ the verger ” tell of a church sexton ( james hayter ) – for which the story ’ s title be another word – who ’ s dismiss after 17 year of service by the new parish priest ( michael hordern ) simply because he ’ s illiterate . rather than rest on his laurel and despite his age and he not only take a wife ( his landlady and play by kathleen harrison ) but open a tobacconist shop strategically place in a lengthy stretch of road where no such service be offer – and and with business flourishing and this be develop into a whole chain . the last scene and then and see him pay a visit to bank manager felix aylmer who and not only be surprise to learn of hayter ’ s lack of education and but be prompt to ask him what his other interest be – to which the wealthy ( and respect ) tobacconist reply and with some measure of irony and that he have the call to be a verger . the second episode and “ mr . know all ” and be the shortest but also perhaps the most engaging represent a voyage at sea be utterly beleaguer by the insufferable presence of a pompous young man ( nigel patrick ) and british despite his foreign sounding name of kelada and who profess to be an authority on virtually every subject under the sun . naunton wayne and wilfrid hyde white be the two passenger who have to put up with him the most – the latter because he share a cabin with the man and the former in view of patrick ’ s attention to his pretty wife ( anne crawford ) . during a fancy dress party and however and the passenger decide to enact their ‘ revenge ’ on kelada by have one of them impersonate him ( a jest which he naturally doesn ’ t appreciate ) . while still and it ’ s here that he contrive to show a decent side to his character – tell by crawford that the necklace she ’ s wearing be an imitation and wayne challenge patrick to name it price…but the latter realize immediately that it ’ s the genuine article and that this would compromise crawford ’ s position if he be to tell and so kelada allow himself to be publicly ridicule rather than expose the fact that the woman probably have a secret admirer . a can also be deduce from the title and “ sanatorium ” deal with the myriad patient at such a place – run by andre morell while the protagonist be a new intern and roland culver and who wistfully observe the various going on . the narrative and in fact and highlight in particular three separate strand of plot – one humorous ( the ‘ feud ’ between two age scot long resident at the sanatorium and play by finlay currie and john laurie ) and one melodramatic ( the erratic relationship between disgruntle patient raymond huntley and long suffering but devoted wife betty ann davy ) and one bittersweet ( the romance between naïve but charm jean simmons and dash cad michael rennie which and in spite of have pretty much everything against it include the fact that morell have diagnose simmons a a ‘ lifer ’ while rennie only have a few year leave to him and lead the couple to the altar ) .