For about as long as we have been telling stories, there has been some fascination with the concept of love and romance, two concepts that are usually seen as synonymous, but are often reconfigured to have two very different meanings in certain circumstances. We find this to be the case in The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, in which director Joseph McGrath presents a fictionalized version of the story of Walburga Oesterreich, a mild-mannered high society housewife and self-titled “Queen of Los Angeles” who grew tired of her pernickety husband and his decision to focus more on running his business than being a partner, and took on a lover, who stayed in the attic of their home for years, the pair secretly having a long-term love affair that they shielded from public view for a long time, until a grisly conclusion brought an end to this unconventional ménage à trois that shocked and scandalized the public at the time. Only based on the general story (and in turn derived from both a published news story and a play, both of which were centered around this narrative), and much more positive, including having a much happier ending, this film is a curious project, one that has not been fondly remembered in quite the sae way as many other broad comedies to come out at the time, but which has also maintained a relatively well-liked status within the community of viewers who were enticed and fascinated by its peculiar perspective and tendency to handle some quite dark material in a manner that was charming and often very funny, while never losing the sardonic spirit of the story on which it was based. McGrath is not as well-known as perhaps he ought to be, mostly due to his tendency towards working in a range of different projects that never quite allowed him to establish his voice in a specific medium – but there is a case to be made that his work on The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is a good representation of his more unique talents, something that is quite difficult to argue against when we see his fascinating approach to a truly tricky story, which he reconfigures into one of the most exuberant and entertaining comedies of its era.

The 1960s were a watershed moment for social satire. Comedy has always been present for about as long as we’ve been predisposed to finding ways to entertain ourselves, so it certainly wasn’t a new concept in any way during this period, but yet remains a relatively fascinating subject that underwent a lot of change during the post-Second World War era, a period of immense social and cultural change that lent itself to be a more incredulous but not any less fascinating exploration of the human condition. McGrath, along with screenwriters Alec Coppel (who had written the original play) and Denis Norden, who are tasked with the unenviable task of condensing both the real-life events and two separate works based on them into a coherent story that offered a different glimpse into a true story, carefully and methodically unpacks the narrative, turning it into a bold and disquieting piece of storytelling that sets out to lampoon the high society and their penchant for always wanting what is most elusive to them, for which they will go to absolutely any lengths to achieve, even if it means challenging the status quo and stirring controversy along the way. The concept being parodied here is that of heteronormativity – we have all undoubtedly encountered the hackneyed but idealistic view of society, which is built on nuclear families revolving around the ongoing patriarchal project, one where the men are in charge, and women are solely subservient. In both this film and the story that inspired it, we see this entire concept being effectively turned on its head, with the protagonist being an agent of chaos that sets out to unsettle conventions through simply following her own desires, which has made her something of an unconventional folk hero. The film is very smart in removing the criminal aspect of the story, since it erases all potential moral ambiguity that would come with a plot that ends in murder, which not only makes the ending far more satisfying, but gives the film that chance to make its own statement, divorced from that of the more layered cultural commentary that would be necessary to a more truth account.

In order to bring this bizarre view of society and its more eccentric occupants to life on screen, the director and screenwriters work from a solid set of ideas that are both narratively interesting and visually exciting. The idea that films are not made in the same way as they were in the past applies quite heavily to The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, which is a true visual and tonal feast for the senses, with both the style and atmosphere being quite distinct and definitive of this era. It may not be the best film produced at the time, but it certainly finds a way to reflect the 1960s, both in how it looked and felt, without needing to depend too heavily on the cliches that have come to be seen as iconic of the period. From a stylistic perspective, the film is filled to the brim with vivid colours, which are sprawled across the screen in combinations that would clash in any other instance, but make absolute perfect sense when filtered through the lens of this bizarre story. Everything from the costumes to the set design, to the smallest and most intricate details that give every frame life, The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is an exceptionally well-made film. It’s matched by the tone, which draws our attention to the underlying absurdity of the narrative through carefully and methodically exploring the gradual descent into madness experienced by these characters. It’s a peculiar film in that it moves at a rapid pace, far too fast for anyone to actually keep up, which creates a sense of disorientation that aligns with the film’s dizzy, off-the-wall aesthetic, as well as its intentions to be quite a perplexing piece when it comes to its underlying satirical edges. Logic is not something that ever really factors into the film, and we find that quite a lot of it tends to be off-putting and quite awkward, an intentional choice likely done to reflect the more unconventional nature of its narrative, and its sometimes offbeat style of storytelling.

Considering the position she held in the industry at the time, insofar as she skyrocketed to become arguably the most eccentric and beloved young actress of her generation, and someone who bridged the gap between the classical era and New Hollywood, its not a surprise that Shirley MacLaine was chosen to play the titular role in The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, a role that is seemingly tailor-made for her sensibilities as a performer. Interestingly, the role was not originally intended for her, but rather another actor whose identity we have not discovered, but whose withdrawal at the last minute meant that MacLaine had to scramble to develop the part, something we would not have anticipated based on how strong and complex her performance was, and the extent to which she brings the role to life as more than just an archetype. This film is almost entirely built from her sheer charisma, which is on full display throughout the film – there is nothing left to the imagination as far as her characterisation goes, and the entire story comes to reflect her insatiable desire to provoke and challenge common conceptions of the modern woman, which she conveyed throughout her career. It’s not the most challenging work she has ever done, but it is one of her most charismatic performances, which massively elevates the film to be far more enduring than it would seem to be on the surface. She’s joined by two actors playing her lover and boyfried respectively – Richard Attenborough, who was one of the rare actors at the time who became a star through playing the most eccentric and unquestionably strange men imaginable, is excellent as the former, whereas James Booth delivers quite a divisive performance as the latter, perhaps going far too broad with how he portrays this otherwise strange character. While MacLaine and Attenborough can temper their performances to be fluid and dynamic within the confines of the film, Booth is far less successful, as we never quite understand his supposedly irresistible charm. The same can be said for Freddie Jones, who is also far too inconsistent as the skeptical detective, not quite realising the correct tempo for the material. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise charming film that benefits from its actors taking bold swings, even if some don’t work quite as well as intended.

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is a very entertaining film, albeit one that is certainly the very definition of an acquired taste. It regularly tends to test our patience, and it gradually unravels into a more complex comedy than its more colourful, eccentric tone would suggest. For what it’s worth, the central ideas that govern this film are arguably much more straightforward than its gonzo tone would suggest, but this doesn’t at all preclude the film from being quite a daring work, one that is far more endearing in practice than it seems to be in theory. The humour that drives the narrative is very charming, and it helps that the surrounding film is actually much more captivating than it seems to be on the surface. Some would imagine that The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom would be quite a cynical film, and while it does have its more sardonic moments, it is mostly a lovable romp that may have a few instances where it doesn’t quite come across as being nearly as captivating as it may imagine itself to be, but which still offers us something fascinating with relatively paltry material. It’s not the most consistent film, and a lot of its humour is indeed quite limited in scope, but none of this makes too much of a difference when we come to realise just how far the story is willing to go for the sake of entertaining the audience. It makes very few daring statements or says anything we haven’t seen done countless times before, but its heartfelt humour and tendency towards being an exuberant, off-the-wall farce is more than enough to keep the audience thoroughly entertained and wholeheartedly captivated, which is entirely appropriate given the material.