Googie Withers Movies

David Gordon runs a bookshop that draws its customers primarily from the nearby college. One of these patrons is the attractive Marian, who has caught David's eye and married him. Bob, David's best friend, has never met Marian, but while talking to her on the phone one day confides that he is lonely and that he, too, wants to fall in love and get married. Unfortunately, there isn't a girl in his life and he doesn't know how to go about getting one. Marian responds that the best way is simply to pick out the first girl in a crowd that attracts him, follow her and convince her to marry him. Bob takes this advice to heart; unfortunately, the girl that he picks coincidentally turns out to be Marian. Misunderstandings ensue, with Bob eventually landing in jail -- and soon finding he's not alone. Seventeen-year-old Googie Withers was picked from the crowd of extras to play a featured part after the original actress quit, thereby beginning a film career that lasted six decades. ~ Craig Butler, 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 crime drama, a jealous man seeks to murder his brother. He plans on electrocuting him, but slips up and fries the wrong fellow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Accused is a British melodrama starring American actor (and confirmed Anglophile) Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Somewhat incongruously cast as an Apache dancer, Fairbanks and his dance partner/wife Dolores Del Rio headline a Paris musical. Fairbanks becomes the unwilling target for the attentions of performer Florence Desmond (the famed British impressionist, here playing a hateful adventuress). Desmond is later murdered with the dagger used by Fairbanks and his wife in their act, and Dolores is accused of the crime. A florid court trial unmasks the real killer. Zoe Akins, a prominent playwright of the 1920s whose once-celebrated works seem somewhat childish today, was one of the scenarists of Accused. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a spoiled brat of a young socialite finds herself tossed out of finishing school. This does not cure her of her selfish, manipulative ways, and perhaps it is for the best as everything the woman wants she gets, including her dream lover. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Having a great deal in common with the plots of later film noir classics, Crown Vs. Stevens was one of five films that Michael Powell directed for producer Irving Asher. Ex-dancer and femme fatale Doris Stevens, in need of money to pay off a loan shark, has married wealthy Arthur Stevens only to discover that he refuses to part with any of his money. Meanwhile, Chris Jensen, an employee of Mr. Stevens', finds himself in some financial difficulties involving an unpaid-for ring. When he visits a pawnbroker, he sees Doris leaving the premises -- and finds the pawnbroker dead. She denies any wrong-doing and uses her wiles to convince him that it would be in both their interests if he did not tell anyone about this. He goes along with her, but when he later learns that Mr. Stevens has suddenly taken ill, he suspects that she may be trying to kill her husband to collect on his insurance. Jensen hurries to his employer's house, hoping to avert another murder. Crown's screenplay was by the prolific Brock Williams, who had earlier worked with Powell on three earlier "quota quickies." ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

This film takes a look at British decorum and civilities when a highly conscientious army officer is accused of cheating at cards and turns to the courts to clear his name. At stake, of course, is his good name and the respect of his peers. The film depicts the British class and court systems and features a fairly powerful cast. Of significance is an excellent performance by Francis Sullivan as the defendant's attorney. ~ All Movie Guide

The Lady Vanishes, Alfred Hitchcock's comedy-thriller, came at the end of his British period; this film's success brought Hitchcock to the attention of Hollywood. He would complete only one other British production, Jamaica Inn, before crossing the Atlantic to working for David O. Selznick on Rebecca. The film concerns the young Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood), heading home on a train after spending the holidays in the Balkans. Iris becomes friends with a kindly old lady, Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty) after Iris gets hit in the head with a flowerpot meant for Miss Froy. On the train, recovering from the blow, Iris falls asleep. When she awakens, Miss Froy has vanished, replaced by someone else in Miss Froy's clothing. Iris talks to the other passengers, a bizarre collection of eccentrics who think that Iris is crazy for insisting on there even being a Miss Froy -- everyone denies having ever seen the old woman. Finally, Iris finds a young musician, Gilbert (Michael Redgrave), who believes her and the two proceed to search the train for clues to Miss Froy's disappearance. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

In this detective drama, a secret service agent is assigned to investigate the death of a bag lady who was discovered to be carrying highly classified airplane blueprints. He ends up taking a room at the boarding house where she lived. There he soon discovers that all of her housemates are part of a ring of spies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Beloved British comedian Will Hay plays Benjamin Twist, a disgraced school master who goes to an agency to apply for a job heading up a reform school for difficult boys. The agency mistakenly believes he is a Mr. Benjamin, a tough prison warden, and he is assigned to one of the country's nastiest prisons. Arriving drunk at his new job, Benjamin is mistakenly assumed to be a prisoner, christened "Convict 99" and put in a cell. There he meets Jerry the Mole, the prison's oldest resident, who has been working on an escape tunnel for years. Benjamin's innocence is soon discovered, and he takes over as warden, instituting some humane reforms. Unfortunately, he soon becomes the victim of a scam involving prison funds perpetrated by the real Convict 99 and Benjamin -- accompanied by those prisoners who are on his side -- must track down the crook and find a way of returning the money to the bank. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

In this comedy a young woman weasels out of a vacation with her parents and away from the young man they want her to date by conning a scientist to pose as a doctor and tell them she is terribly ill. The daughter and her "physician" end up traversing the country in their attempts to avoid her family and the suitor who disgusts her. Along the way, the two fall in love. Marital bliss ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Dead Men are Dangerous stars Robert Newton as a shabby, unsuccessful writer. Newton is of the opinion that he might improve his chances of selling his work if only he could acquire a better wardrobe. As luck would have it, he stumbles across the immaculately attired corpse of a wealthy man. Newton swiftly switches clothes with the dead man--only to be accused of murder. Released in the US by Monogram, the British Dead Men are Dangerous was based on the H.C. Armstrong novel Hidden. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide