Separate Tables
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{{Infobox Film
|name = Separate Tables
|image = Separate_tables.jpg
|caption = original film poster
|director = [[Delbert Mann]]
|producer = [[Harold Hecht]]
|writer = [[Terence Rattigan]] <br> [[John Gay (screenwriter)|John Gay]] <br> [[John Michael Hayes]] (uncredited)
|starring = [[Deborah Kerr]] <br> [[Rita Hayworth]] <br> [[David Niven]] <br> [[Wendy Hiller]] <br> [[Burt Lancaster]]
|music = [[David Raksin]]
|cinematography = [[Charles Lang]]
|editing =
|distributor = [[United Artists]]
|released = [[1958]]
|runtime = 100 min.
| country = [[United States|US]]
| awards = [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]<br>(David Niven) and <br>[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] (Wendy Hiller)
| language = [[English language|English]]
| budget =
| amg_id = 1:43734
|imdb_id = 0052182
|}}
'''''Separate Tables''''' is the collective name of two one-act plays written by Sir [[Terence Rattigan]], both taking place in the Beauregard Private Hotel, [[Bournemouth]], a seaside town on the south coast of [[England]]. The first play, entitled ''"Table by the Window"'', focuses on the troubled relationship between a disgraced Labour politician and his ex-wife. The second play, ''"Table Number Seven"'', is set about eighteen months after the events of the previous play, and deals with the touching friendship between a repressed spinster and a retired English army officer, Major Pollock. The secondary characters - permanent residents, the hotel's manager, and members of the staff - appear in both plays.
==London premiere==
''Separate Tables'' had its premiere at the [[St James's Theatre]] in London in September 1954. It was originally intended that the main roles should be played by [[Laurence Olivier]] and [[Vivien Leigh]], who had scored quite a success with Rattigan's ''[[The Sleeping Prince (play)|The Sleeping Prince]]''. They asked Rattigan to postpone the production to fit in with their schedule, but the play could not wait. It opened instead with [[Margaret Leighton]] and [[Eric Portman]] in the leading roles. They were later to take the play to [[Broadway Theatre|Broadway]].<ref>[http://www.thegwt.org.uk/Seasons/2004/Separate%20Tables.htm Whitworth]</ref>
The play opened to good reviews and [[Harold Hobson]] called the second play in the double-bill, "one of Rattigan's masterpieces, in which he shows in superlative degree his pathos, his humour and his astounding mastery over the English language...".<ref>[http://www.thegwt.org.uk/Seasons/2004/Separate%20Tables.htm Whitworth]</ref>
==Broadway premiere==
''Separate Tables'' was first presented at [[The Music Box]], [[New York City]], on [[October 25]], [[1956]]. It was directed by [[Peter Glenville]], with sets by Michael Weight and lighting by Paul Morrison. The cast included May Hallatt (Miss Meacham), William Podmore (Mr. Fowler) and Phyllis Neilson-Terry (Mrs. Railton-Bell). The principal roles in both plays were portrayed by the same actors. [[Margaret Leighton]] played the glamorous Mrs. Shankland in ''"Table by the Window"'' and the dowdy, bespectacled Sibyl in "Table Number Seven". The roles of the hot-blooded politician and the ex-officer Major Pollock were portrayed by [[Eric Portman]].
==Film adaptation==
{{Splitsection|Separate Tables (film)}}
In [[1958 in film|1958]], [[United Artists]] released a film adaptation of ''Separate Tables'', directed by [[Delbert Mann]], and adapted by Rattigan, [[John Gay (screenwriter)|John Gay]] and an uncredited [[John Michael Hayes]].
The film took the two plays and opened it up for a screenplay that introduced some new parts. Burt Lancaster was also producer ([[Hecht-Hill-Lancaster]]). [[Rita Hayworth]] was married to James Hill at the time.
[[Image:Separate_Tables.jpg|thumb|David Niven and Wendy Hiller in their Oscar winning performances in the 1958 film ''Separate Tables'']]
The film stars [[David Niven]], [[Deborah Kerr]], [[Rita Hayworth]], [[Burt Lancaster]], [[Wendy Hiller]], [[Gladys Cooper]], [[Felix Aylmer]], and [[Rod Taylor (actor)|Rod Taylor]]. It was nominated for seven [[Academy award|Oscar]]s, winning two (Niven for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] and Hiller for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]).
May Hallatt repeated her part as Miss Meecham for the film.
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
*{{imdb title|id=0052182|title=Separate Tables}}
*{{amg movie|id=1:43734|title=Separate Tables}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=1018587-separate_tables|title=Separate Tables}}
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[[Category:1958 films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:Terence Rattigan plays]]
[[Category:1954 plays]]
[[Category:Films based on plays]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award winning performance]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winning performance]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Peter Glenville]]
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[[es:Mesas separadas]]
[[fr:Tables séparées]]
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