Classic Film Friday: Miranda

This movie, for its time, was groundbreaking in that the mermaid really looked the part. Dr. Paul Martin (Griffith Jones) goes on a fishing trip without his wife Clare (Googie Withers). While on the boat, he gets pulled under by a mermaid, Miranda (Glynis Johns). She takes him to an underwater cave where she plans to keep him. He is only let go when he promises to take her into London. Miranda plays an invalid in a wheelchair (you have to hide the fish tail after all) and the comedy ensues from that point on.

Mainly, Miranda, not being a human and not completely understanding human nature, gets all of the other women jealous because of her voice and maybe because she is an invalid. Men are forced to carry her and this gets them up close to Miranda. My wife comes in at this point and asks, "What is she? A floozy?" Kinda' sorta'. Especially when you see the last scene... she is holding a mer-baby. I had no idea that things would suddenly turn all Maury Povich way back in 1948, but it just goes to show you...