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In her new book Rachel Cooke re-examines the 1950s through 10 women who pioneered in their careers. In this extract she tells the stories of sisters-in-law Muriel and Betty Box, two prominent women in the British film industry

Until recently, anyone who wanted to see the film To Dorothy a Son had to lock themselves deep in the bowels of the British Film Institute off Tottenham Court Road, London, and watch it on an old Steenbeck editing machine. A little-known comedy from 1954, To Dorothy is no one's idea of a classic. It has an infuriating star in Shelley Winters, a creaky screenplay by Peter Rogers (later the producer of the Carry On series) and a set that looks as if it is on loan from a local amateur dramatics society.

We are in the home of Tony (John Gregson) and his baby-faced wife, Dorothy (Peggy Cummins). Dorothy is heavily pregnant, and confined to bed.

★★★★☆ Gerald Thomas' Twice Round the Daffodils (1962) is a classic example of what British cinema became known for during the 1960s (outside of kitchen sink dramas and Gothic horror) - old-fashioned, feel-good humour. Widely considered an unofficial entry to the Carry On canon, this comedy set within a TB sanatorium featured several of the iconic film series' production staff including director Gerald Thomas, producer Peter Rogers, writer Norman Hudis and cult actors Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims.

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To mark the release of Twice Round the Daffidils on DVD, we’ve been given three copies to give away. It’s directed by Gerald Thomas and stars Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Sheila Hancock, Juliet Mills, Sir Donald Sinden, Nanette Newman and Jill Ireland.

A classic British comedy starring ‘Carry On’ legends Joan Sims and Kenneth Williams, Twice Round The Daffodils sees a group of four male patients arrive at a sanatorium to be treated for TB. As they adjust to their new home, each one of them starts to take a shine to the nurses that are there to care for them.

From the Carry On series team (producer Peter Rogers, director Gerald Thomas and writer Norman Hudis) and starring many of our well-loved British comedic stars, Twice Round The Daffodils is often considered an unofficial Carry On film.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize,...

Onward Production and Black Swan State Theatre Company’s anthology evening Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners, which they are presenting at The Playhouse Theatre between 21 October and 1 November.

Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners is an anthology evening of wicked comedy, heavenly drama, devilishly tall tales, enchanting poetry and seductive stories. Starring four deadly beautiful temptresses, who will enlighten you on how to survive, or even live by, the Seven Deadly Sins!

Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners has been compiled from the works of nearly everyone with a sense of humour (sometimes unintentional!) - from Chaucer to Victoria Wood, from Woody Allen to Oscar Wilde via Flanders & Swann, Joyce Grenfell, Steven Berkoff and Noel Coward - by the award-winning scriptwriter and author of the first six of the Carry On... films, Norman Hudis.

Wendy Hughes, one of Australia's best known stage, TV and film actresses (My Brilliant Career,...