P.G. Wodehouse Movies
- 2005
Jim Crocker (Sam Rockwell) is an American ne'er-do-well living in England with his tolerant father, Bingley (Tom Wilkinson), and his snooty, social-climbing stepmother, Eugenia (Allison Janney). As the film opens, Jim has been fouling up Eugenia's efforts to obtain a peerage with his all-too-public drinking, carousing, and fighting. He's lived there ever since he lost his job writing a society column for a newspaper in New York. Due to his notoriety, the newspaper has continued running a column under his byline, "Piccadilly Jim," though he no longer writes it. He's fairly content in his debauchery until he runs into the comparatively refined Ann (Frances O'Connor), who, as it turns out, is the niece of Eugenia's sister and chief rival, Nesta (Brenda Blethyn). Jim is eager to meet Ann until he learns that she already hates Piccadilly Jim without having met him. Jim hatches an elaborate plot to win Ann's heart, posing as the upright son of his own butler, and traveling to America to stay with Nesta and her family, including her husband (and Ann's beloved uncle Peter [Austin Pendleton]), their obnoxious young son Ogden, and Ann and her potential fiancé, Reggie (Hugh Bonneville). As he sets out to win Ann's heart, Jim is shocked to discover that several other residents of the house are there under false pretenses, including his own father. Piccadilly Jim was adapted from P.G. Wodehouse's novel by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) and directed by John McKay (Crush). The film had its world premiere at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Rockwell
- 1965
The BBC comedy series World of Wooster was based on P.G. Wodehouse's whimsical short stories about upper-class twit Bertie Wooster (Ian Carmichael) and his ever-resourceful (and infinitely more intelligent) butler Jeeves (Dennis Price). Most of the stories dealt with Bertie's desultory romances, with Jeeves forever coming to the rescue of his master when things threatened to go beyond the point of no return. Debuting May 30, 1965, the series ran for three seasons; by the time of its final telecast on November 16, 1967, the title had been changed to The World of Wodehouse so that those P.G. Wodehouse stories not featuring Jeeves and Wooster could be utilized. Alas, of the series' 20 videotaped episodes, only two are currently known to exist in the BBC vaults. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian Carmichael, Dennis Price, (more)
- 1962
Norman Wisdom does to P.G. Wodehouse in Girl on the Boat what Jerry Lewis did to Gore Vidal in Visit to a Small Planet. The zany Wisdom, put in charge of his aunt's cottage during an English summer in the roaring twenties, decides to invite several of his friends to his posh new digs. Among the invitees is the title character, played by the delightful comedienne Millicent Martin. All sorts of slapstick chaos ensues, but Wisdom manages to save the day before things get hopelessly out of hand. Like Jerry Lewis, Norman Wisdom is an acquired taste, but he's worth sampling at least once. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this 1957 psychological action drama, Robert Taylor plays Lloyd Tredman, a WWII American airman plagued by guilt over the war deaths of comrades in failed missions. Living in Spain, Tredman is despondent after losing all his money betting on a horse which ends up throwing its jockey and killing him. In order to get money and help a former comrade, Jimmy Heldon (Jack Lord), who is also broke, Tredman agreeds to a currency smuggling plot proposed by Bert Smith (Martin Gabel). In on the scheme is a Madrid native, Toto del Aro (Marcel Dalio). They smuggle the money and elude authorities after a long chase, but when they discover that their booty includes narcotics, they turn themselves in and implicate Smith. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Taylor, Dorothy Malone, (more)
Anything Goes is a Technicolor-and-Vistavision remake of the 1936 film of the same name, which in turn was based on Cole Porter's hit 1934 Broadway musical. The 1956 bears little relationship plotwise to its predecessors, except for the fact that most of the story takes place aboard a luxury liner. Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor star as Bill Benson and Ted Adams, a pair of top Broadway tunesmiths who agree to collaborate on their next musical just as soon as they complete their respective vacations. Complications arise when, unbeknownst to one another, Bill and Ted each sign up a potential leading lady; Bill's choice is ballerina Gaby Duval (Zizi Jeanmaire), while Ted's selection is brassy chanteuse Patsy Blair (Mitzi Gaynor). Retained from the original Cole Porter score are such standards as "You're the Top", "I Get a Kick Out of You" (with appropriately laundered lyrics), "Blow, Gabriel Blow", and the title tune. New songs, penned by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, include "You Gotta Give the People Hoke" and "A Second-Hand Turban and a Crystal Ball". To avoid confusion with the 1956 adaptation of Anything Goes, the 1936 version was for many years retitled Tops is the Limit for television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor, (more)
- 1937
- NR
Fred Astaire's first RKO musical without his longtime partner Ginger Rogers is one of his best from any period -- even though it's obvious that leading lady Joan Fontaine can't dance a step. Written by P. G. Wodehouse, Damsel in Distress casts Astaire as Jerry, an American entertainer appearing in London. Poor Jerry gets sucked into a wager conducted among servants of country squire Lord Mashmorton (Montague Love) He is "elected" to rescue his Lordship's daughter Lady Alyce (Joan Fontaine) from an arranged marriage with orchestra leader Reggie (Ray Noble), a likeable chap who steadfastly refuses to play the villain of the piece. Weaving in and out of all this are Jerry's business manager George (George Burns) and his daffy secretary Gracie (Gracie Allen). In addition to including such Gershwin standards as "A Foggy Day" and "Nice Work if You Can Get It," not to mention Fred Astaire's untoppable "drum dance," A Damsel in Distress affords George Burns and Gracie Allen their best-ever screen roles; the team is permitted to join Astaire in the elaborate "round-and-round" production number "Things are Looking Up," as well as a delightful whisk-broom dance (which, it is said, George and Gracie taught to Fred, rather than the other way around). As Lady Alyce's duplicitous butler, Reginald Gardiner enjoys his own comic highlight with an interesting variation on his "musical cop" routine in Born to Dance. As for 19-year-old Joan Fontaine, she's quite lovely and charming, and Astaire does his very best to camouflage her utter lack of terpsichorean ability. Amazingly, A Damsel in Distress lost money at the box office, compelling RKO Radio to play safe by quickly reteaming Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Carefree. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, George Burns, (more)
- 1936
In this romantic mystery, based on the beloved characters of P.G. Wodehouse, the ever-impeccable, unflappable butler Jeeves does all he can to serve his clumsy young master. This time Jeeves falsely identifies evil spies as government agents. Unfortunately these bogus G-men have come to steal secret plans. When Jeeves recognizes his mistake, he and his master team up and stop the villains. The film was later retitled Thank You, Mr. Jeeves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arthur Treacher, Virginia Field, (more)
- 1936
Anything Goes is a fun-filled but hardly faithful adaptation of the same-named Cole Porter Broadway musical, with additional songs by Hoagy Carmichael, among many many others. Set on a luxury liner, the story gets under way when Moonface Mullins (Charlie Ruggles), Public Enemy No. 13, slips on board disguised as a bishop. As he weaves in and out of the story, Billy Crocker (Bing Crosby) romances Hope Harcourt (Ida Lupino), titled Englishman Evelyn Oakleigh (Arthur Treacher) also pursues Hope, and brassy entertainer Reno Sweeney (Ethel Merman) chases after Sir Evelyn. Critics in 1934 complained that the original Broadway production's Victor Moore was replaced by Charlie Ruggles, but none could fault Ethel Merman's rendition of "I Get a Kick Out of You", nor her duet with Bing Crosby, "You're the Top" (the only two songs retained from the Porter score!) Anything Goes was remade in 1956, again with Bing Crosby, and again with little fidelity to the original (this remake required MCA Television to retitle the 1936 version as Tops is the Limit). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, (more)
- 1936
British humorist P. G. Wodehouse wrote the story upon which Piccadilly Jim was based. Frank Morgan and Robert Montgomery play a well-to-do father and son, who find themselves rivals in love. The object of their affection is Madge Evans, who likes them both but favors the son. Everything could have been wrapped up in eight reels, but MGM had a mania about lengthy running times, so Piccadilly Jim lumbers on at 100 minutes. Fortunately, such accomplished farceurs as Billie Burke, Robert Benchley and Eric Blore are around to pep up the dull spots. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Montgomery, Frank Morgan, (more)
- 1936
In this musical comedy, a woman runs a boardinghouse for washed up thespians. She puts them on their best behavior when her daughter comes for a surprise visit. It seems her daughter had no idea what her mother did for a living. When an aspiring writer asks for the daughter's hand, conflict ensues. Musical numbers include: "Love Is the Thing," "I Was Taken by Storm," "Let's Be Frivolous," and "Martinique." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marjorie Rambeau, Florine McKinney, (more)
- 1933
In this frothy farce, the personal secretary to a boorish lord finds himself in romantic trouble after he falls in love with his employer's niece. Because he cannot afford to marry her, he decides to steal his master's prize porker. Later he "finds" the missing pig and returns it in hopes of currying the favor of his boss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Winifred Shotter, Dorothy Bouchier, (more)
- 1933
In this crime comedy, based on a popular British play, a young man poses as a poet to protect his auntie's jewels from thieves. His ruse is almost revealed by a female poet, who is really a thief. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Gerrard, Olive Borden, (more)
- 1932
Musical comedy star Gene Gerard breezes his inimitable way through the 1932 British programmer Brother Alfred. Thrown over by fiancee Molly Lamont, Gerard pursues the girl to Monte Carlo, hoping to win her back. In desperation, Gerard poses as his nonexistent twin brother Alfred, and in this guise wins Molly's heart all over again. We'll wager that she's on to him all the time. Brother Alfred was taken (as far as possible) from a play by P.G. Wodehouse and Herbert Westbrook. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1931
Robert Montgomery plays an aimless young man who secures a job as a bailiff's deputy. Montgomery is assigned to guard a house under writ, but when he falls for the lady of the house (Irene Purcell), the boy decides to serve as her butler to keep up her family's appearances. Throughout the film, Montgomery assumes several more disguises to keep the family's legal reverses from becoming public. P. G. Wodehouse adapted H. M. Harwood's play The Man in Possession for this brisk film version. The story was Americanized in 1937 as Personal Property, with Robert Taylor and Jean Harlow in the leads. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Montgomery, Charlotte Greenwood, (more)
- 1930
Those Three French Girls are Charmaine (Fifi D'Orsay), Dian (Yola D'Avril) and Madelon (Sandra Ravel), each a real oo-la-la in her own right. All three get mixed up in the affairs of stuffy Englishman Larry (Reginald Denny) and the even stuffier Earl of Ippleton (George Grossmith). Meanwhile, American doughboys Owly (Cliff Edwards) and Yank (Edward S. Brophy) set their own sights on the lovely trio. The result is an uneven combination of drawing-room comedy and slapstick farce, including such standbys as the roadster caught in the rain and the idyllic (but innocent) overnight stay in the barnyard. And, of course, Those Three French Girls strip down to their skivvies when things threaten to get dull. Hard to believe that P.G. Wodehouse wrote the original story, and that one of the screenwriters was Arthur Freed, who later produced such prestigious MGM musicals as An American in Paris and Singin'in the Rain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cliff Edwards
- 1923
This farcical melodrama starring Jack Holt was a pleasant program feature. Holt is Robert Pitt, a wealthy young idler who has just returned home to the States from London. While at a restaurant, he notices pretty Molly Creedon (Sigrid Holmquist). He sees that she has a photograph inscribed "with love" and as a joke, he makes a bet with his pals that he will obtain an autographed picture from the girl within 24 hours. But getting the photo is harder than it seemed at first, and he finally asks a burglar to help him out by stealing it. What Pitt doesn't realize is that Molly's father is "Big Phil" Creedon, the police commissioner, and there is a plot to steal some jewels from a British family. Pitt becomes a suspect in the attempted robbery, which he winds up preventing. After saving the jewels, he gets both the photograph and Molly. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Holt, Sigrid Holmquist, (more)
