Winifred Shotter Movies

Scads of color stock footage from the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth was strategically deployed in John and Julie. The story involves two little provincial children (Colin Gibson, Lesley Dudley) whose parents have no plans to attend the Coronation. Left to their own devices, John and Julie run off to London, where with the help of several eccentric types they get to see the Queen's installation. On the basis of its content, it isn't surprising that John and Julie isn't revived much these days. But some enterprising distributor might take note that the film features an early supporting appearance by Peter Sellers, once again hiding his youthfulness beneath a ton of makeup. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

British stage star Jessie Matthews, who lit up the silver screen in England during the '30s, returned to the screen for her first starring vehicle in five years in Candles at Nine. Adapted from Anthony Gilbert's novel Mouse Who Couldn't Play Ball, it's a haunted house/mystery film along lines that intersect with Gaslight, Rebecca, and a dozen lesser influences from the same genre. Matthews plays Dorothea Capper, a plucky, unpretentious chorus girl who suddenly inherits 100,000 pounds (easily the equivalent of several million dollars in the British economy of the early '40s) from an eccentric great-uncle whom she never even knew. The problem is the disappointed would-be heirs, who would like her out of the way -- one of whom tries to take care of that matter before she even goes to claim her inheritance. The estate itself, called Brakes, is a pretty forbidding place, especially as maintained under the housekeeper Miss Carberry (Beatrix Lehmann), who likes shadows (as opposed to Dorothea, who loves the sunlight). So not only must she contend with the rivals, but with Miss Carberry as her diametrical opposite in just about every way possible, hating the fact that Dorothea is now the mistress of Brakes. And neither the heroine nor the audience can be certain that detective Bill Gordon (John Stuart), who is trying to protect her, is quite up to the job. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

A romantic triangle heats up the Alaskan tundra in this romantic comedy. Bascom Dinsmore (Robert Montgomery) is a radio operator who is stationed at a remote outpost in the frozen plains of Alaska. Dinsmore gets very little in the way of companionship, particularly of the female variety, so he's more than a bit enthusiastic when lovely Irene Champion (Myrna Loy) and her wealthy British groom-to-be Sir James Felton (Reginald Owen) have to make an emergency landing near his cabin. Dinsmore takes an immediate liking to Champion, and she appears to feel the same, much to the consternation of Felton. As Dinsmore and Felton wage a merry battle over Champion's hand, Clara Wilson (Winifred Shotter), Felton's former fiancée, arrives on the scene, eager to win back the affections of her now-wealthy ex-boyfriend. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

No relation to the 1963 Sidney Poitier film of the same name, the 1934 British feature Lilies of the Field is based on an oft-filmed play by John Hastings Turner. Winifred Shotter and Judy Gunn star as Betty and Kitty Beverley, rivals for the affections of handsome Guy Mallory (Anthony Bushell). Rejecting the notion that Guy is interested only in "modern" women, Betty elects to go the prim-and-proper route. To absolutely no one's surprise, she wins her man in the last reel. Lilies of the Field was distributed stateside by United Artists (who ironically also released the much-later Poitier film). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama a shy music teacher attempts to become more outgoing by taking a "How to Succeed" course. Later his girlfriend's father puts him in charge of his hotel. Trouble ensues when the establishment's books do not add up and the quiet fellow is accused of embezzling. The shy guy proves his innocence when he catches his accountant doing the dirty deed himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this British comedy, a clumsy young man must make do by joining the police force instead of Scotland Yard like his father, who thinks the boy is ill-suited to be a detective. His father may well be right, yet, somehow, the lad manages to stumble after some famed jewel thieves and redeem himself--it was he who messed up the first arrest. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a quiet bank clerk inherits a fortune, quits his job, and tries to become a major theatrical producer. He then falls in love with a chorine and spends most of his money on a lavish production designed to make her a star. Unfortunately, the show is a bomb. To save the performance of the overly dramatic drama, the would-be producer hops up onstage and begins earnestly trying to play the lead. The audience goes into paroxysms of laughter for he is too awful to be taken seriously and soon he is heralded as a comic genius. The next time the show is listed as a comedy and becomes a hit. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this farce, a playboy falls for a nightclub dancer who is being blackmailed by the club owner over a necklace she borrowed. The playboy and an Irish cop ensure that everything turns out OK. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide

In this British comedy, a normally devoted wife begins entertaining thoughts about an affair. Her husband then goes on a Paris business trip, and she decides to go for it with her new male friend in a certain little cottage. Unfortunately, they are followed by her husband's pals. This leads to the aspiring lovers' eviction from the cabin by its owner. Meanwhile, in Paris, the husband is also tempted by the arrival of an old friend. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this British farce, based on a popular play, one fellow joins another in an endeavor to steal his fiancee's jewels back from the housekeeper that bilked her into giving them away. They succeed. Later, the engaged fellow discovers that the housekeeper obtained the valued rocks by committing bigamy. He and the housekeeper then cut a deal to share the wealth. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Though not as well known as the 1944 remake (which was directed by its star, Clive Brook), this first adaptation of Frederick Lonsdale's stage comedy On Approval was a worthwhile production in its own right. Tom Walls (who, like Brook, also directed) stars as George, the impoverished Duke of Bristol. In hopes of maintaining his lavish lifestyle, George talks American heiress Marie Wislak (Yvonne Arnaud) into a 30-day "trial marriage." This requires both George and Marie to exchange sweethearts, an arrangement that leads to one hilarious situation after another. The fact that neither hero nor heroine are the traditional sympathetic types adds a pinch of tangy spice to the stew. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide