Arthur clashes with Ezra, a lifelong gasworks employee who is unable to understand his son's love of literature and classical music.

After a strained evening, the newlyweds retire, only for their marital bed to collapse, the result of a practical joke by Arthur's boorish boss, Joe Thompson.

Arthur assures Jenny that everything will be fine once they are on their honeymoon in Majorca, but the next day they discover that the travel agent absconded with their money, cancelling the trip.

At Jenny's urging, Arthur sees a marriage counsellor, but a gossipy charwoman overhears their session and spreads what was discussed.

Meanwhile, the Association of British Travel Agents bond has covered the couple's stolen honeymoon money, and they prepare for a belated one in Blackpool.

Bill Naughton wrote a television play for ABC's Armchair Theatre series titled Honeymoon Postponed, which was transmitted in 1961.

[8] David Susskind bought the rights to produce the play in America, and cast Eric Portman as the father.

Susskind produced it with Daniel Melnick and Joseph E. Levine in association with the Boulting brothers, who were to make the film version.

[12] In July 1963, it was announced that David Susskind would make a film of the play as a co-production with the Boulting brothers, with John producing and Roy directing.

[15] The Boultings contacted John Mills while the latter was making King Rat in Hollywood and offered him the role of the father.

[22] John Mills later wrote in his memoirs that "during the first half hour on the set on the first morning's shooting I knew that I was going to enjoy myself.

We all felt perfectly safe in his hands and I personally owe a great deal to him for the final success of Ezra and indeed the whole film.

Variety wrote: "Hayley Mills gets away from her Disney image as the young bride, even essaying an undressed scene.

John Mills is firstclass in a character role as the bluff father who cannot understand his son and produces the lower working-class man’s vulgarity without overdoing it.

Complete with a score by Paul McCartney, it recounts the experience of so many 1960s newlyweds who had to share a house with their in-laws for much of the early part of their married lives.

Hywel Bennett is bang on form as the husband so wound up by cohabitation that he is unable to consummate his marriage to the equally impressive Hayley Mills.

"[32] The cover sleeve of "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", a single by English rock band The Smiths, features Murray Head (as Arthur's brother Geoffrey) in a still photo from the film.