Austin Melford Movies
British writer/director Austin Melford came from the stage, where he'd co-written such popular efforts as Battling Butler. In films from 1933, Melford mostly labored on low-budget mysteries and regional comedies. In 1935, he directed his only feature, Car of Dreams. Active at least until 1943, Austin Melford's final efforts included a handful of George Formby and "Old Mother Riley" farces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1945
The crown jewels are at stake in this crime comedy featuring the efforts of London bobby Gray against American gangster Hunter. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1944
Champagne Charlie is a luxuriously produced tale of the 19th Century British music halls. Tommy Trinder stars as 1860s singer George Leybourne, better known as "Champagne Charlie" thanks to his most popular song and his highrolling lifestyle. The dramatic tension of the film is stoked by Leybourne's rivalry with fellow entertainer The Great Vance, played by Stanley Holloway. Future British leading ladies Kay Kendall and Hazel Court can be spotted amongst the bit players in Champagne Charlie. PS: the 1989 2-part TV movie of the same name is not a remake. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Trinder, Stanley Holloway, (more)
- 1944
The special appeal of Scots comedian Will Fyffe might be lost to American viewers unable to fathom Fyffe's bog-thick accent. Nonetheless, his "regional" British films of the 1930s and 1940s were extremely popular, and Heaven is Round the Corner is no exception. Fyffe plays a farmhand who, with several of his mates and a handful of opera singers and music-hall performers, show up in newly liberated Paris. When the group "invades" the British Embassy, an impromptu musical programme commences. The title song of Heaven is Round the Corner is rendered by Vera Lynn, the sweetheart of the British army during World War II, whose signature tune "We'll Meet Again" has entered into folklore (not to mention the apocalyptic closing scenes of Dr. Strangelove). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leni Lynn, Will Fyffe, (more)
- 1944
Give Me the Stars is a British comedy aimed squarely at the regional audiences of the 1940s. Lenni Lynn plays an American girl (complete with a line of unconvincing slang) who heads to Scotland on family business. She appoints herself protector of her cranky Scots grandfather (Will Fyffe), who of course is not nearly as helpless as she believes. While tolerably produced, Give Me the Stars rather resembles an elongated music hall sketch. But Will Fyffe was enormously popular, and the film brought in the shillings. ~ Hal Erickson, 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)
- 1943
Once again comedian Arthur Lucan dons an old woman's togs to become the tart-tongued Irish washerwoman. This time Mother Riley ends up mixed up with gangsters and busts up a ring of smugglers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1943
In this comedy, a prop man working at the nearly bankrupt Theatre Royal organizes a musical benefit featuring the talented theater staff, to save the establishment from an avaricious rival. When backers catch the rehearsals, they immediately offer to support the show. It is a great success and in the end, the theater owner offers the prop man a partnership. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1942
Comic actors Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen, members in good standing of Britain's "The Crazy Gang", head the cast of the wartime mirthspinner We'll Smile Again. The film is set at a movie studio, where production of an Arabian Nights epic is constantly interrupted by the fumbling and bumbling of Bob Parker (Flanagan) and Gordon Maxwell (Allen). The two screw-ups redeem themselves by capturing a Nazi spy ring, headed by film star Gina Cavendish (Phyllis Stanley) and Teutonic director Steiner (Meinhardt Maur). Bumptuous radio comedian Horace Kenny contributes to the zaniness as a self-important studio makeup man. The producers engagingly make fun of the film's ultra-low budget with the opening disclaimer "The Anglo-American Film Corporation announces proudly that no expense has been spared to save money on this production." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen, (more)
- 1941
In this comedy of mistaken identity, an amiable fellow decides to help out his singing South American look-a-like who must fulfill a few obligations for his opera company. Mayhem ensues when the bogus singer finds himself pursued by paid assassins. Fortunately, the whole mess is straightened out in the end and happiness ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1941
This stirring wartime morale-booster stars John Clements in a virtual reprise of his "redeemed hero" role in The Four Feathers. Clements is cast as Lieutenant Stacey, a Fleet Arm Pilot whose recklessness causes the death of a fellow airman. Cashiered from the Service, Stacey becomes a mercenary charter pilot in the Mediterranean Island of Palmos. When the Nazis take over the island in the early stages of WWII, Stacey remains, but only because of his romance with cabaret singer Kay Gordon (Ann Todd). After his best friend (Edward Chapman) is murdered by the Nazis, Stacey's long-suppressed patriotism resurfaces, prompting him to embark upon a suicide mission to destroy a German dam site. Reportedly in production for 18 months, Ships With Wings was largely filmed on the decks of such authentic British aircraft carriers as the Ark Royal. At 140 minutes, the film is too long by half, but it never fails to come to life during the heart-stopping aerial sequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Clements, Leslie Banks, (more)
- 1941
In this comedy, a groom's constant jealousy creates domestic turmoil for his devoted bride. More trouble comes when he buys a lot of untried material for the lingerie factory where he works as a foreman. The material proves flimsy and he is fired. Things get worse when his overbearing and disapproving mother moves in. Fortunately, the poor bumbler's wife has a keen business sense and is able to turn her husband's failure into a wonderful success. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Formby, Edward Chapman, (more)
- 1941
Based on Monica Ewer's novel Ring O'Roses, the British musiccomedy He Found a Star is dominated by the thousand-watt personality of music hall favorite Vic Oliver. He's cast as Lucky Lyndon, a seedy but enthusiastic talent agent specializing in small-time variety acts. Lyndon spends the entire picture searching for the next "big star", never realizing that his secretary Ruth Cavour (played by Sarah Churchill, Winston's daughter) is madly in love with him. By the time he's figured out what's what, Lyndon has nearly come to grief trying to promote ungrateful nightclub songstress Suzanne (Evelyn Dall). An average subject at best, He Found a Star is distinguished by the creative cinematography of Oscar-winning lensman Ernest Palmer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vic Oliver, Sarah Churchill, (more)
- 1940
Let George Do It is one of the best and most successful of the George Formby vehicles. The toothy, guitar-strumming Formby plays a dimwitted entertainer who is mistaken for a notorious Nazi spy. The misunderstanding is played to the hilt, culminating with our hero battling the forces of the Axis on the fields of Norway. The film's highlight is a bakery routine which dates back to Charlie Chaplin's 1914 epic Dough and Dynamite. Let George Do It was distinguished by the leading-lady presence of Phyllis Calvert, just on the verge of bigger things. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Formby, Phyllis Calvert, (more)
- 1940
Boozy doctor O'Dowd gets into deep trouble after he is accused of operating under the influence and causing the death of his daughter-in-law in this sudsy drama. Now the Irish physician must somehow redeem his good name. He gets his chance during a diphtheria outbreak. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peggy Cummins, Mary Merrall, (more)
- 1940
In this entry in the long-running British comedy series, boisterous Irish washerwoman Mother Riley plays the wardrobe lady for her daughter, a chorus girl. Her daughter then falls for a wealthy fellow. To spy, Riley dons a maid's uniform and begins working in the beau's family home. Mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1940
In this British WW II comedy, a brave member of the Police War Reserve eventually becomes a hero when he exposes a conspiracy to sabotage the battleship Hercules on her first voyage. But at first his fellow officers believe that he is one of the enemy agents and pursue him down the docks, causing him to prematurely launch the ship and save it from exploding. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1940
In this wartime comedy, set after the beginning of WW II, a British entertainer is drafted and immediately finds himself at odds with his new CO. After he uses his show-biz know-how to save the camp, the performer is given a commission. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1940
In this WW II comedy, three British sailors get roaring drunk in a South American port, accidentally mistake a German battleship for their own and stagger aboard. Boozy mayhem ensues until the tipsy trio manages to capture the ship and its entire crew on behalf of the Royal Navy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1939
In this British comedy, set in London during the 1840s, an acting troupe aspires to high-society, but despite their best efforts are consistently rebuffed and consider little more than lowly beggars. As they endeavor to entertain people, they are arrested and put into prison. Later the performers are redeemed when they save a nobleman's son who was abducted by gypsies. The grateful aristocrat finally helps the actors out. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max Miller, Hal Walters, (more)
- 1939
In this melodrama, a performing crack-shot and a blues singer fall in love. When he abandons her, his brother, the target in their act, is there to woo her, even though she is after a wealthy man. The lovesick brother is heartbroken; during a performance he makes a wrong move and is accidently shot by his brother. The crack-shot, thinking he killed his brother, takes aim and kills the singer, and then himself. Unfortunately, his brother was only wounded so it was all for naught. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1939
A wealthy man's valet, Blore, concocts a blackmail scheme about an attempted poisoning when his employer passes out at a party in this farcical comedy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1939
Director Roy William Neill, best known for his work on Universal's Sherlock Holmes series of the 1940s, occasionally made side trips to England during the 1930s. Neill's Anything to Declare? stars Claude Hulbert as an eccentric inventor named Claude Fishlock. Our hero has just developed a new device that will prove useful in construction of military tanks. When the device is stolen by foreign spies, Hulbert is forced to smuggle himself into an unnamed European country in order to retrieve his invention. If you think the name "Claude Fishlock" is funny, you'll roll on the floor when you hear some of the other character monikers in Anything to Declare?: Pete Nutter, Captain Torrent, Sgt. Major Hornett, and so on and so forth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1938
In this comedy, an impoverished bumbler becomes a waiter at a fancy party and finds himself mistaken for one of the wealthy guests by another drunken guest. Soon he is mingling with the elite and meets a beautiful girl. He decides to make the illusion real and after the party goes to his banker and blackmails him into hiring him. Soon he is promoted to a higher position until he is transferred the Paris branch where he begins living a happy, financially secure existence with the beautiful girl in his arms. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Hulbert, Gina Malo, (more)
