IT was the golden age of both cinema and cruising, so how fitting the two things combined to create a truly golden experience.

Not only was Kenneth More’s comedy, Next to No Time, partly shot on Queen Elizabeth but she was also the location for the premiere of the movie.

It took place on September 3, 1958, when a galaxy of stars arrived at Southampton’s Ocean Terminal in a special train from Waterloo.

The guests enjoyed a cocktail party and lunch on board before the lights went down on the first showing of the film.

Daily Echo:

At lunch in the verandah grill: Janette Scott, Tommy Trinder and Marjorie Cornelius.

Henry Cornelius was the writer-director who had enjoyed previous hit movies such as Passport to Pimlico and Genevieve.

Corny - as he was affectionately known in the business - died shortly before the screening at the age of 42.

His widow, Marjorie, worked as dress designer for the flick and arranged the premiere. She believed her husband would have enjoyed a ship-board over the traditional West End event.

Commodore Charles S Williams, the captain of the Queen Elizabeth, introduced Marjorie to the audience before the show, and she introduced the star of the film - Kenneth More.

The audience heard a recording made by him before he went for a between-pictures holiday in the South of France.

He spoke warmly of the genius Cornelius, whose Genevieve made the names of More and John Gregson, who was present at the viewing.

“He never never tried the commonplace,” the star declared. “He was always looking for something new.”

“Next to No Time,” he went on, “is a comedy of our time and was bang up to date.” He had done something that had never been done before - set his film on what was the finest ship in the world.

Daily Echo:

Film star John Gregson congratulates competition winners Gregor Benton, Geoffrey Budd and Mrs and Mr Hudson.

The movie’s storyline explores the struggles of a little man to bring off a big deal he doesn’t feel capable of bring off.

Stars among the audience included actresses Margaret Rutherford and Janette Scott, his film producer friend and business associate Monya Danischewsky and character actor Reginald Beckwith.

Other names included Phyllis Calvert, Tommy Trinder, Terence Morgan, Julia Arnall, Barbara Shelley, Virginia Maskell, Mary Peach and American singer Lee Sharon.

Ten winners of an Echo competition were each given a ticket to the premiere, entertained by the Cunard company and shown over the ship.