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 Nice and the Good Time". This is Richard Biranne's favourite painting, depicting what he calls "the only real kiss ever represented in a picture". Paula goes to see it in the National Gallery during their estrangement, and they meet in front of it when they decide to reconcile. The cover of the first English edition of "The Nice and the Good" is based on a detail from the painting. "The Nice and the Good" was widely reviewed and generally well received, although Bernard Bergonzi, writing in "The New York Review of Books" found it "readable, certainly" but an "unimportant book", and suggested that its