Better Late Than Never (1983 film)

Better Late Than Never is a 1983 British comedy film directed by Bryan Forbes and starring David Niven, Art Carney and Maggie Smith. The soundtrack features songs by Henry Mancini and Noël Coward.^[1]

Better Late Than Never
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bryan Forbes
Written by	Bryan Forbes
Story by	Gwen Davis
Produced by	Raymond Chow David Niven, Jr. Jack Haley, Jr.
Starring	David Niven Art Carney Maggie Smith Kimberley Partridge
Cinematography	Claude Lecomte
Edited by	Phillip Shaw
Music by	Henry Mancini
Production company	Golden Harvest
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	15 April 1983 (1983-04-15)
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	$24,164

Plot

Nick (Niven) is the supposed grandfather of 10-year-old Bridget (Partridge), who stands to inherit a sizeable fortune. Charley (Carney) shows up and claims that he is the genuine grandpa. Both men once slept with Bridget's grandmother, and she was never certain which of the two produced her child. Neither Nick nor Charley are good prospects, so Bridget must choose from the lesser of two evils.

Principal cast

Actor	Role
David Niven	Nick Hartland
Art Carney	Charley Dunbar
Maggie Smith	Miss Anderson
Catherine Hicks	Sable
Lionel Jeffries	Bertie
Melissa Prophet	Marlene
Kimberley Partridge	Bridget
Jean-Pierre Castaldi	Doctor

Production

Forbes originally offered Carney's role to William Holden who declined because the fee offered was too small. Forbes wrote in 1992 that if Holden had made the film he "might have been alive today."^[2]