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- 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
- 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
