Morris Harvey Movies

In this entry in the long-running British comedy series, boisterous Irish washerwoman Mother Riley is heading for Portugal to find her daughter who is working in winery. En route she is mistaken for a famous pianist and in Paris, she is mistaken for a spy. Still she is able to arrive in Portugal just in time to prevent her daughter from being kidnapped. She is also able to retrieve purloined port wine. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this drama, an Irish singer heads for the US to make it big. He leaves his wife and child in Britain. In the States he earns plenty of money, but upon his return home, he finds that his family has disappeared because of the newly erupted WWII. The singer then joins the Royal Air Force; eventually he and his family are reunited. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An innocent country maiden living in the early 19th century is forcibly betrothed to a gambling louse after her father gets indebted to him. She endures her lot, but then an officer from the British army, who had secretly loved her for years, discovers that the cad cheated and also has a wife in Brussels. This melodrama chronicles what happens next. The story is also called Ken John Peel. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne repeat their "Charters and Caldicott" characterizations from Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes for the British comedy-mystery Crooks Tour. This time, our cricket-happy heroes take a vacation in unoccupied Europe. They cross the path of a seemingly dedicated Nazi lass (Greta Gynt) who is actually loyal to the British crown. Laughs are in abundance, but the verbal wit displayed by Radford and Wayne in earlier films is noticeably lacking. Crooks Tour was one of hundreds of British films that were run to death during the early days of American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Star Jack Buchanan shared directorial credit with cinematographer Lee Garmes for the breezy British musical comedy The Sky's the Limit. Buchanan and opera star Mara Loseff star as bankrupt couturier Dave Harber and his equally cash-less partner Mme. Isobella. With the spring season approaching, our hero and heroine desperately search for a dress designer who will save their business from ruin. Their prize catch is Teddy Carson (David Hutcheson), who turns out to be more trouble than he's worth. Though the plot is as thin as gossamer, Jack Buchanan carries the picture on sheer charm power. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this British comedy, a barrister badly botches his first case and begins to think he has chosen the wrong career. To assist with their bills, he and his wife sublet their apartment to several people at the same time. To fool them all, the couple pretends to be household servants and throws a dinner party for their guests. The wife then sprinkles sleeping powder into their soup. When the renters awaken, they find themselves in assorted compromising positions. The "servants" then blackmail them for their money. They wind up with a tidy sum of money. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The inimitable Gracie Fields illuminates the screen in her sole 1935 vehicle Look Up and Laugh. The Lancashire-born comedienne is cast as Gracie Pearson, one of several clerks in a small-town market. When Gracie and her co-workers are threatened with dismissal by a chain-store takeover, they manage to save their jobs by digging up a Royal Charter, declaring their store an autonomous nation. The film was based on a story by J. B. Priestley, who undoubtedly didn't include Gracie's traditional cheer-up songs in his original synopsis. Billed 15th in Look Up and Laugh is 22-year-old Vivien Leigh, whose third film this was. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Starring Seymour Hicks as the title character, Scrooge is a faithful adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol about a heartless miser who discovers the true meaning of Christmas when three ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve. Hicks co-wrote the screenplay to this film, which is a thoroughly entertaining and effective retelling of a familiar story ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

This early comedy from director Michael Powell centers around a number of corporate researchers who are trying to discover a way to flameproof celluloid. (The tests are performed on little celluloid "dolls.") The team is headed by a Chief Chemist, who as the movie opens, announces that he will soon be retiring, due to health concerns. His replacement is likely to be the only woman of the group (Mary), which fact causes a great deal of grumbling among the male co-workers. One in particular, by the name of Thompson, is vociferously against the idea of having a female as a boss. Although another co-worker, John, believes that Mary's credentials, not her gender, should be all that matter, his weak protest falls on deaf ears. Thompson comes up with a plan to derail Mary's promotion, suggesting that one of the men should pretend romantic interest in her, under the assumption that this will distract her from her work and make her uninterested in pursuing the position of Chief Chemist. John is chosen as the one to woo her, and despite his earlier protestations, he agrees. John succeeds in gaining Mary's affection -- and in falling in love with her himself into the bargain - but she is chosen to lead the lab anyway. Thompson devises a new plan that will impede the company's research efforts, hopefully resulting in Mary being fired. At the same time, events conspire so that John must be let go -- at which point Thompson claims a new discovery of John's as his own. Fortunately, things get sorted out in time for a reuniting of the lovers and a happy ending for all. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

In this British comedy, a plucky Lancashire millworker is out of a job when her mill is forced to close for the summer. She decides to make the best of it by taking a series of summer jobs in Blackpool that eventually lead her to meet a business magnate. With all her charm, the girl convinces him to invest in the financially strapped mill and the jobs of her colleagues are saved. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

While the opera "Faust" plays in the background, Lupino, in the audience, attempts to meet the girl of his dreams, Burne, also in the audience. Unforeseen events make the encounter difficult. ~ All Movie Guide

In this drama, set during the Depression, Charlie Stubbs tries to escape slum life by becoming a criminal. That doesn't work so he cleans up his act and becomes a cab driver for the woman he loves, Annie Collins. Trouble ensues when Annie's uncle frames him. Now Charlie may go to jail. It is Annie's mother who saves the day. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide