The Final Test is a 1953 British sports film written by Terence Rattigan, directed by Anthony Asquith, and starring Jack Warner, Robert Morley, George Relph and Ray Jackson. A number of leading cricketers also appear including Denis Compton, Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook. The film was produced by R.J. Minney for Act Films Ltd. Plot The film is a light drama, set around elderly leading cricketer Sam Palmer's last appearance for England. Action jumps between various elements: an Englishman (Richard Wattis) explaining to an American the rules and terminologies of the game from the audience; Sam's home life; the pub listening to cricket on the radio; Sam's interactions with players and family; and Reggie's attempts to meet his theatrical hero Alexander Whitehead (Robert Morley). This is interspersed with documentary footage of real cricket games. Sam desperately wants his son Reggie to be there at The Oval to witness his last match, but Reggie has a developing passion for poetry and instead of attending the game has a ‘once in a lifetime’ chance of meeting a leading poet, Alexander Whitehead. But when Reggie meets Whitehead, it turns out he is a huge fan of cricket. Whitehead takes Reggie along to the match, in time to see Sam's innings, and persuades Reggie that there is more to cricket than he had previously thought. In Sam's final appearance he is dismissed leg before wicket. As he walks back to the pavilion the other players line his route and the spectators give him a standing ovation. Cast Jack Warner as Sam Palmer Robert Morley as Alexander Whitehead George Relph as Syd Thompson Adrianne Allen as Aunt Ethel Ray Jackson as Reggie Palmer Brenda Bruce as Cora the barmaid Stanley Maxted as Senator Joan Swinstead as Miss Fanshawe John Glyn-Jones as Mr. Willis Richard Wattis as the spectator explaining cricket to the American The England cricketers Len Hutton, Denis Compton, Alec Bedser, Godfrey Evans, Jim Laker and Cyril Washbrook appear as themselves with John Arlott providing the match commentary. Genesis The writer Terence Rattigan was an excellent cricketer in his school days. He was opening batsman for the Harrow Eleven, often in partnership with Victor Rothschild, and in 1929 he represented Harrow at Lord's in the annual match against Eton College. He originally wrote The Final Test - his first play for television - in 1951, partly as a tribute to Sir Donald Bradman, who