Encore

Encore is a 1951 anthology film composed of adaptations of three short stories by W. Somerset Maugham: "The Ant and the Grasshopper", directed by Pat Jackson and adapted by T. E. B. Clarke; "Winter Cruise" (from the 1947 collection of Maugham stories Creatures of Circumstance), directed by Anthony Pelissier, screenplay by Arthur Macrae; "Gigolo and Gigolette" (from the 1940 collection of Maugham stories The Mixture as Before), directed by Harold French, written by Eric Ambler. Maugham introduces each part of the film with a piece to camera from his garden on the French Riviera. Encore was the final film in a Maugham trilogy, preceded by Quartet and Trio. The film was entered into the 1952 Cannes Film Festival. Plot summary "The Ant and the Grasshopper" Idle Tom Ramsay (Nigel Patrick) continually borrows from his hard-working brother George (Roland Culver). George later puts up the Ramsay estate for sale so he can buy out his business partner, despite Tom's protests. Shortly afterwards, George is approached by car dealer Philip Cronshaw (Peter Graves), who notifies him that Tom has stolen one of his automobiles. To avoid a scandal, George pays for it, but was a fraud; Cronshaw and Tom split George's money.