'' Lease of Life '' is a 1954 British film drama made by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend . The film was designed as a star-vehicle for Robert Donat , representing his return to the screen after an absence of over three years during which he had been battling the chronic asthma which plagued his life and career . It was a prestige production which was generally respectfully , if not over-enthusiastically , received and gained Donat a nomination as ' Best British Actor ' at the 1955 British Academy Film Awards . In common with a number of other Ealing films of the era , '' Lease of Life '' focuses on a specific English milieu &ndash; in this case a Yorkshire village and its nearby cathedral city &ndash; and examines the nuances , quirks and foibles of its day-to-day life . The film is unique in the Ealing canon in having religion as its dominant theme
1955 British Academy Film Awards
8th British Academy Film Awards
Lease of Life