Sydney Howard Movies
- 1945
In this romance, an impoverished chorine masquerades as a nurse so that she can find a job. She is hired to care for an alcoholic hypochondriac who also happens to be a show-biz composer. Because of his outrageous actions, the composer's wife left him and went to Majorca. To find her, the nurse and her charge go there too. Things do not turn out exactly as planned, and the nurse, and the now-cured composer fall in love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1943
Adapted from the stage hit by J. B. Priestly, When We Are Married is a barbed satire of smug British conservatism. Set in turn-of-the-century Yorkshire, the story concerns three middle-aged married couples, who tend to look askance towards anyone who does not come up to their high moral and religious standards. These pecksniffs are especially critical towards those who advocate a break from the repressive sexual taboos of the era. Imagine their dismay, then, when all three couples discover that they're not legally married. Their efforts to hide this fact, and their eventual comeuppance, provides several hearty laughs. When We Are Married remains a favorite of the British repertory circuit, due to its large number of colorful and well-rounded characters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lloyd Pearson, Raymond Huntley, (more)
- 1941
Based on the Evadne Price-Ken Attiwell stage play, Once a Crook stars Gordon Harker as ex-safecracker Charlie Hopkins. Convinced that Charlie was responsible for his arrest, his former partner The Duke (Bernard Lee) vows to get even our hero. The Duke accomplishes this by luring Charlie's son Bill (Cyril Cusack) into a life of crime. It turns out that Bill is an even more accomplished safecracker than his old man, leading to a series of curious complications which come to an end only through the auspices of The Duke's golden-hearted girlfriend Estelle (Carla Lehmann). Fans of the "James Bond" series might enjoy seeing a young Bernard Lee (later cast as Bond's no-nonsense boss "M") in a comically villainous role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon Harker, Sydney Howard, (more)
- 1940
In this British drawing room comedy, a wealthy socialite falls in love with the a young woman from the lower class. Her mother owns a boarding house and at first, the socialite turns up his blue-blooded nose at them. But then he begins learning more about their lives and gradually changes his mind. He then decides to take his girl to his family's country estate for a weekend. His snooty mother is appalled and tries to stop them. Eventually, with the butler's assistance, romance prevails. This is the third remake of the story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1939
In this British comedy, a young woman begins managing her free-spirited father's waterfront pub and does a great job of it until the shipyard is closed down. To help the poor workers, she gathers them together to walk to London in protest. No one goes along with the scheme, so the plucky gal then does all she can to single handedly get the shipyard to open again. She does so by pretending to be someone else so she can get an audience with an important diplomat. One song from the show, "Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye," was a favorite of soldiers heading off to fight WW II. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gracie Fields, Sydney Howard, (more)
- 1937
In this British comedy, the last in the "Splinter" series, an inventor designs a helicopter. He is then mistaken for his twin brother and accidentally drafted into the RAF. It is difficult and it looks as if the hapless inventor is going to have nothing but trouble until he uses his invention to save his CO's wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1937
In this comedy, a photographer is placed in charge of the village coffer. He takes the cash and hides it in an old dresser. The trouble begins when his wife sells the junkie chest to a junk man. A frantic search ensues. Fortunately, during the hunt, the cameraman locates an old charter that saves the village from the encroachment of developers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Comic actor Sydney Howard stars as obsequious department-store floorwalker Oswald Bertwhistle. Our hero's life is significantly altered when he wins a contest and is whisked off for a movie screen-test. With visions of stardom dancing in his head, Bertwhistle is riding for a fall, but not before he and his old cronies lay waste to a film studio. Most of the sight gags and one-liners in Fame were old even in 1936, but they earned loud laughter all the same. It's perhaps superfluous to add that the 1980 MGM drama Fame is not a remake. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Muriel Aked, (more)
- 1935
Blacksmith Howard turns to a career of soccer in this comedy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1935
Sydney Howard stars as village smithy Alf Scodger, who lives in mortal terror of his henpecking wife (Mabel Constanduros). Alf finds some relief from his domestic travails by looking after a newborn colt named George. Later on, our hero is engaged in a football match, where he is being badly trounced by the opposing team. Upon noticing that George is running away from his barn, Alf develops super strength and runs across the field to victory. Joe E. Brown had been doing this sort of thing in Hollywood long before Where's George first saw the light of day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Mabel Constanduros, (more)
- 1934
College students Baxter and Underdown fall in love and are harassed by gym teacher Howard who wants to break up their relationship to the extent of pretending to be the school's headmistress in this comedy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1934
While crossing the Atlantic aboard a luxury liner, a radio troupe (led by Jack Benny) becomes involved in a murder mystery among a buffet of romance, music, trickery and blackmail--ornamented with a few musical numbers. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Raymond, Jack Benny, (more)
- 1933
In this comedy, a portly stable boy ends up buying a Derby-winning horse from his financially ruined boss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Mark Daly, (more)
- 1933
In this British comedy, a groom must somehow find his bride's missing garter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Winifred Shotter, (more)
- 1932
In this drama, a wealthy social worker locates an unemployed trombone player and cons him into running for mayor. Of course she supports him. When he wins, he immediately begins tearing down the slums owned by the incumbent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1931
In this British drawing room comedy, a wealthy socialite falls in love with a young woman from the lower class. Her mother owns a boarding house and at first, the socialite turns up his blue-blooded nose at them. But then he begins learning more about their lives and gradually changes his mind. He then decides to take his girl to his family's country estate for a weekend. His snooty mother is appalled and tries to stop them. Eventually, with the butler's assistance, romance prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Phyllis Konstam, (more)
- 1931
Madeleine Carroll plays a dual role "sort of" in the WWI comedy French Leave. When her husband Harry (Haddon Mason) marches off to the Front, Dorothy Glennister (Carroll) can't stand the idea of being separated from him. Sooooo, she sneaks into the French town where Harry is stationed and poses as a local coquette named Juliette. Unfortunately, her little stratagem backfires when she's suspected of being a German spy. Virtually every British officer depicted in the film is a pompous idiot, making one wonder how they ever won the war. Originally released at 100 minutes, French Leave was pared down to an hour for its American release -- and judging by what was left, those missing 40 minutes were no great loss. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madeleine Carroll, Sydney Howard, (more)
- 1931
Rugged seamen in drag provide the basis of this British comedy, an entry in the "Splinters" comedy series. The trouble begins when the Royal Navy's boxing champion steals the lover of another sailor. The jilted fellow decides to settle his beef with the boxer in the ring. It is a long and bloody bout but in the end, the Champ remains the champ. He also gets the girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1931
No relation to American author Sidney Howard, bulbous Briton Sydney Howard was the star comedian in several cheaply made film farces of the 1930s. In Almost a Divorce, Howard over-imbibes at the wedding of his best friend Nelson Keys. Howard's besotted antics (and incessant repetition of his stage catch phrase "What's to do?") nearly ends Keys' marriage before it begins. The film was produced by Herbert Wilcox, but try getting him to admit it in later years. Almost a Divorce is worth a look for the presence of Eva Moore, the onetime mother-in-law of Laurence Olivier who was memorably cast as a retrogressive Victorianite in James Whale's The Old Dark House. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Howard, Nelson Keys, (more)
- 1931
In this comedy, the inventor of a loom heads for London to see the Football Association Cup Final and ends up having a really bad day. First, thieves pinch his wallet, then his girl friend stands him up. Mayhem ensues, but in the end, he gets the girl back and a contract for his loom. He is also given a small fortune in cash. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1929
In this British WW II comedy set in France, the bored Englishmen stationed there entertain themselves by putting on a vaudeville show. Many of the soldiers have great fun dressing up and performing as women. Just before the show ends, a battle erupts and they must fight. Some of them are still in drag. Songs include: "I'll be on My Way," "Encore," and "Lanky Carrie Fra' Lacansheer." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lew Lake
