The Good Companions (1933 film) The Good Companions (1933 film) The Good Companions is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Victor Saville starring Jessie Matthews and John Gielgud. It was based on the novel of the same name by J.B. Priestley. A group of widely divergent characters meet up with a broken-down touring concert-party, throw in their lot with them, and eventually triumph after temporary setbacks. This British musical-comedy follows an unlikely trio as they try to revive the fortunes of the floundering theatrical troupe. School teacher Inigo Jolifant (John Gielgud) with his talent for songwriting, and recently unemployed Jess Oakroyd (Edmund Gwenn) with
The Good Companions (musical) marries her solicitor, Susie heads to the West End, Inigo makes a fortune with his music, and Jess Oakroyd departs for Ontario, Canada to visit his daughter. After a tryout in Manchester, "The Good Companions" opened on July 11, 1974 at Her Majesty's Theatre in London and ran for 252 performances. The cast included John Mills as Jess Oakroyd, Judi Dench as Elizabeth Trant, Christopher Gable as Inigo Jollifant, Marti Webb as Susie Dean, Malcolm Rennie as Morton Mitcham, and Ray C. Davis as Jerry Jerningham. Webb replaced Celia Bannerman at short notice during the Manchester tryout when it was