Alastair Sim Movies
Droll, moon-faced Scottish actor Alastair Sim was for the first decade of his adult life a professor of elocution. A late bloomer, Sim made his stage debut at age 30; in 1935, he broke into British films, appearing in no fewer than five pictures during his first year. In many of his early films, Sim portrayed slow-witted, regional types, notably the buffoonish sergeant in the Inspector Hornleigh mysteries of the late '30s. He achieved movie stardom during the 1940s, frequently portraying dithering eccentrics who weren't quite as distracted or disorganized as they seemed: the undercover detective in Cottage to Let (1943), the inquisitive Inspector Cockrill in Green for Danger (1946), and the befuddled birdwatcher in Hue and Cry (1947), for instance. Among his most fondly remembered roles of the 1950s were the taciturn moralist forced to break the law in order to qualify for an inheritance in Laughter in Paradise (1952); the enigmatic "voice of conscience" in An Inspector Calls (1954); the mild-mannered professional assassin in The Green Man (1956); his "drag" appearances as the snooty headmistress in the St. Trinians farces; and, of course, the title role in Scrooge (1951), his finest hour and a half. Seemingly growing funnier with each passing year, the 72-year-old Sim all but stole the show as a doddering cleric in the outrageous The Ruling Class (1972). Throughout his four-decade film career, Sim retained his ties to the theater, directing and starring in several of the works of playwright James Bridie and, by popular request, made frequent appearances as Captain Hook in Barrie's Peter Pan; Sim made his last stage appearance in 1975, the year before his death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1935
Henry Oscar plays Gabriel Perry in this rusty-dusty British courtroom drama. Perry is the local justice-of-the peace; his wife is played by Olga Lindo. When Mrs. Perry discovers that Gabriel has committed murder, she can do nothing; after all, a wife cannot testify against her husband (or could not back in 1935). Margaret Lockwood, on the verge of stardom, shows up in a nondescript ingenue role. The Case of Gabriel Perry was adapted from Wild Justice, a play by James Dale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1935
In this British Victorian comedy, a wealthy Englishman comes back from a journey to India to discover that instead of becoming successful, his beloved nephew has run up so many debts that he has had to disguise himself as a minister to evade his creditors. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1935
In this murder mystery, three prominent, wealthy businessmen are killed just before their big meeting. To find their killers, a reporter assists the inspector. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1935
In this drama, a cub reporter from the Daily Gazette attempts to catch a bank robber. He is assisted by a woman who wants to provide him with valuable information. Unfortunately she is killed before he can meet with her. The reporter eventually finds the crook, catches him and sends him to the police. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1935
In this comedy, two convicts are finally released after spending a decade prison. They immediately head back to the remote place where they buried their cash.They are appalled to discover that the area has been developed. A store now stands where the jewels are hidden. Fortunately, the store managers have had trouble keeping their establishment afloat and are only too happy to help the cons burn it down so they can find the loot. Unbeknownst to them, a woman has already taken the jewels. They burn the store down for nothing. It turns out that the woman is the legitimate heiress to the gems as they originally belonged to a relative of hers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
In this mid-19th century costume romance, a Scottish minister's daughter falls in love with an army officer. Their love is destroyed by the woman's jealous sister. During the Crimean War, the woman joins Florence Nightingale on the front and serves as an army nurse. There she again sees her beloved. This time she saves his life and happiness ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
The Man in the Mirror is Edward Everett Horton, making one of his periodic professional visits to England. Horton plays Jeremy Dilke, a meek, mild-mannered businessman who allows everyone to use him for a doormat. While looking into his mirror, Dilke is confronted by his brusque, assertive alter ego, who declares "I am the man you have always longed to be." Armed with his newfound confidence, Dilke becomes a go-getting dynamo -- much to the delight of heroine Helen (Genevieve Tobin), who knew he had it in him all along. Moon-faced Alastair Sim plays a wonderful cameo as a foreign interpreter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Everett Horton, Genevieve Tobin, (more)
- 1936
In this comedy, a young man learns that he is supposed to inherit some valuable jewels and enlists the aid of his shyster lawyer to see that he gets them. The trouble is the stones are tucked away into the lining of one of six antique chairs that have mysteriously vanished. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
A British town, desperate to save its dying mineral spring water business, launches a bizarre conspiracy to attract badly needed attention for the town. They do so by claiming that a local man who died in an auto accident was a victim of murder. A government agent comes to investigate and learns, much to the surprise of the locals, that the man really was murdered. He then exposes the gang of smugglers who have been causing all the problems. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
The all-purpose title The Big Noise was dusted off twice in 1936, once by Hollywood's Warner Bros. and once by 20th Century-Fox's British facilities. The British Big Noise stars Alastair Sim as the milquetoast clerk in a huge oil company. When it looks as though the oil executives will be apprehended by the authorities for their various misappropriations, the execs conspire to find a fall guy. Sim is elected, but once he's placed in a position of authority, he manages to rout the scoundrels and save the firm. To avoid confusion with this Big Noise, Hollywood's Big Noise was retitled Modern Madness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1937
Based on an Edgar Wallace novel, this is an involved story of the consequences within the underworld of a big-time diamond heist. It also tells the story of a disgraced inspector who is trying to catch the infamous jewel fence known as the "Squeaker" to help clear his name again. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmund Lowe, Sebastian Shaw, (more)
- 1937
In this musical, a plucky London newspaper journalist boards a transatlantic ocean liner in hopes of interviewing a prominent Hollywood starlet. She is followed by a Scotland Yard inspector who is looking for the jewel thief he knows is on board. Unfortunately, the inspector doesn't know the actual identity of the thief and his prime suspect becomes the hapless reporter who also finds herself pursued by a determined gangster who has made the same assumption. Before the boat docks in New York, the reporter is kidnapped and forced to work for the gangster's boss. Fortunately, the inspector finally discovers the thief's true identity and brings her to justice. The plot is based on a Dwight Taylor story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessie Matthews, Olive Blakeney, (more)
- 1937
In this crime drama, a scientist finds himself entangled in a criminal plot to make counterfeit pearls. He tries to escape the gang and ends up clubbed upon the head and left for dead. His body is eventually found and he has experimental brain surgery. He is completely healed, but feigns amnesia so he can catch the crooks. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1937
In this musical, a young fellow aspires to a career as a radio star. Along the way, the falls in love with a scientist's daughter. He then adds several talented friends to his act and at last finds success. Unfortunately, on the night of their big radio performance, fire erupts and he ends up saving the scientist's daughter, ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1937
In this romance a run away schoolgirl impersonates a socialite to hook a handsome RAF pilot. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1938
Originally conceived as a musical (called Asking for Trouble) to showcase the talents of leading lady Jessie Matthews, Climbing High emerged as a straight romantic comedy, albeit one that sometimes sets up musical numbers that don't occur. Michael Redgrave plays Nicky Brooke, a millionaire unhappily involved with a society dame who is primarily interested in him for his money and name. Matthews plays a beautiful young girl of limited means, Diana Castle, who works as a model (along with her roommate, Alastair Sim, portraying a communist forced to take a job as the loincloth-clad "before" picture in a muscle-building ad). While out driving, Brooke nearly runs over Diana; in the process, he falls for her but decides that he will have a better chance of getting his love returned if he courts her in disguise. Disguised as another ordinary working man, he succeeds -- until his real identity is revealed. More complications ensue -- including an escaped lunatic and a finale in which all of the characters end up climbing the Alps -- before Brooke and Diana end up together, where they always belonged. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessie Matthews, Michael Redgrave, (more)
- 1938
The continued adventure of the magic button that was crafted from the metal of Aladdin's magic lamp. Alf finds that this newfound device makes him master of his own fate. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1938
The irrepressible Jessie Matthews heads the cast of the buoyant musical Sailing Along. Matthews plays Kay Martin, a popular British music-hall performer. At the height of her stardom, Kay gives it all up for the love of handsome Steve Barnes (Barry McKay). But before she makes this momentous decision, the audience is treated to three lively tunes: "My River", "Your Heart Skips a Beat" and "Trusting My Luck". Sailing Along was directed by Sonnie Hale, who from 1931 to 1944 was the husband of star Matthews; the film was also the last of the Hale-Matthews collaborations under the Gaumont-British banner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessie Matthews, Barry Mackay, (more)
Previously filmed in 1928, the old Edgar Wallace novel The Terror was dusted off for another cinematic go-round ten years later. A spectacular crime spree, instigated by a mysterious miscreant known only as "The Terror", has galvanized Scotland Yard into action. The trail of clues leads to a ramshackle old castle, owned by retired Army doctor Col. Redmayne (Arthur Wontner). The detective on the scene is one Mr. Goodman (Wilfred Lawson), who has devoted 10 years of his life to bringing The Terror to justice. Among the suspects are such low-lifes as Ferdie Fane (Bernard Lee) and Soapy Marks (Alastair Sim), but the identity of The Terror comes as quite a surprise to all concerned (except for those dyed-in-the-wool mystery fans who pegged the villain's identity as the credits unreeled!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wilfred Lawson, Bernard Lee, (more)
- 1939
This Man in Paris was the followup to the successful British comedy-mystery This Man is News. Barry K. Barnes and Valerie Hobson return as Simon and Pat Drake, London's answer to Nick and Nora Charles. The plot gets under way when Simon, star reporter for a London tabloid, is dispatched to Paris to gets the goods on a counterfeiting gang. Despite warnings from editor Macgregor (Alistair Sim) to stay out of the way of the police authorities, Simon and Pat insist upon doing a lot of sleuthing themselves. Inevitably, hero and heroine find themselves at the mercy of the villains, but one is certain that they'll wriggle out of their predicament none the worse for wear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Valerie Hobson, (more)
- 1939
This Man is News is a British imitation of Hollywood's Thin Man pictures. The "Nick and Nora" herein are Barry K. Barnes as an investigative reporter and Valerie Hobson as his helpful wife (?) After writing a series of articles about an elusive gang of jewel thieves, Barnes is framed for robbery. He goes after the crooks himself, despite the "cease and desist" warnings of Scotland Yard and his own editor. This Man is News did well enough to warrant a sequel, but This Man in Paris did poorly enough to bring this would-be series to an abrupt end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Valerie Hobson, (more)
- 1939
Inspector Hornleigh was the first of three lively British crime films inspired by the popular BBC radio serial "Monday Night at Eight". Hornleigh is played by Gordon Harker, while Alastair Sim assumes the comic-relief responsibilities inherent in the character of Sergeant Bingham. The "maguffin" in this film is a set of bags stolen from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which Hornleigh and Bingham set about to retrieve. The principal suspect is an unscrupulous millionaire who hopes to corner the British stock market. Based on characters created by Hans Wolgang Priwin, Inspector Hornleigh inspired two cinematic sequels, both filmed in 1939. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon Harker, Alastair Sim, (more)
- 1939
In this mystery, the last entry in the Inspector Hornleigh series, Inspector Harker and his assistant take a two-week vacation to the English seaside. Just as the vacation is about to end, a fellow guest in their boardinghouse drives over a cliff and is burned to death. The local cops consider it an accident, but the Inspector has his own suspicions and begins to investigate. He soon exposes a gang of crooks planted the car with another body to cash in on an insurance policy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon Harker, Alastair Sim, (more)
- 1940
In this actioner, a flashy young lawyer successfully defends some saboteurs. His friends and family are appalled as are the police. When the attorney is drafted he soon discovers that the people he defended are now using guided missiles. He decides to stop them anyway he can. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
