A Private Function Sarah Lancashire as Joyce. A Private Function A Private Function is a 1984 British comedy film starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. The film was predominantly filmed in Ilkley, Ben Rhydding, and Barnoldswick, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. In a small Northern English town in 1947 the citizens endure continuing food rationing. Some local businessmen want to hold a party to celebrate the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip and illegally decide to raise a pig for that occasion. However, the
Marriage Is a Private Affair must learn to grow up, and deal with the failings of those around her, and resist following their bad example. All principal cast members are deceased. According to Hollywood Reporter news items, "Marriage Is a Private Affair" was the first Hollywood film to have a world premiere specifically for U.S. combat forces overseas. Lana Turner made a personal appearance at the premiere, which modern sources note took place on September 23, 1944 at a theater in Naples, Italy. In October 1944, According to MGM records the film earned $1,934,000 in the US and Canada and $715,000 elsewhere, making a $237,000