Loosely based on a true story, the 1968 British comedy The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom leans into the mod lifestyle that permeated London in the mid to late 1960’s while exploring the complexities of romantic relationships. Married to Robert (Richard Attenborough) a workaholic brassiere manufacturer, Harriet Blossom (Shirley MacLaine) is unhappy in the relationship. While Robert is at work one day, Harriet calls her husband to tell him her sewing machine has broken. Robert dispatches his lowly assistant Ambrose Tuttle (James Booth) to help her fix it. Feeling neglected by her husband, she seduces Ambrose and hides him in the attic, with instructions for him to sneak out overnight. Enchanted with Harriet, Ambrose decides to take up residence, only coming out when Robert is away.

Lacking a plot that goes anywhere, The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is simply a setup for a series of humorous gags. A star vehicle for Shirley MacLaine, few would disagree she’s a talented performer. Here though, her character isn’t very interesting. The only sane one in the bunch, she serves as a ringmaster of sorts, trying to corral all the craziness around her. As her lover, Ambrose, James Booth is the ultimate clown, wearing a series of disguises and taking on various personalities to hide his identity.

Known for his collaborations with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, director Joseph McGrath’s appreciation for British comedy is on full display. The real “stars” of the film are the various character actors that fill out the cast. In one of his first film appearances, John Cleese turns up as an argumentative  postal clerk, Barry Humphries (better known as Dame Edna) appears as an art dealer, Freddie Jones plays a relentless detective and Patricia Routledge (perhaps best known in America for role on Keeping Up Appearances) turns up as Miss Reece.  For me, a fan of British comedy, appearances by these actors along with a few laughs, makes The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom well worth watching.

Presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Kino Lorber’s 1080p transfer is beautiful. Sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative, the glittering color palette is vibrant throughout. The array of colorful costumes pops off the screen. Black levels are deep and inky. Whites are clear with no apparent bloom. The image is clean throughout with no apparent scratches or blemishes. Viewers should be very pleased with this transfer.

The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track works well with this dialogue heavy film. well mixed the dialogue is clean, clear and concise throughout. Environmental sounds are effectively mixed, never interfering with dialogue or theme music. Devoid of any pops our hisses, this audio sounds remarkably good for a film of its age.

English SDH subtitles are available.

The following extras are included:

  • Audio Commentary with Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer