Here's a snippet of history that may surprise many of you. In the credits there is a minor actress named Betty Driver. She was a tap dancer and was booked to do all the tap dancing that Beryl finished up doing. Betty was twelve years old and was besotted with George. She was absolutely starstruck and couldn't keep her eyes off him. Beryl was fiercely jealous of George and she said to the director "Either that girl goes or I go." So Betty had to leave. Unfortunately for Beryl Betty's name was already in the credits even though she didn't appear in the film. So Betty got the last laugh. Betty stayed with acting and finally established herself as an A lister playing Betty Turpin in the soap opera Coronation Street.
This is the abridged version later rereleased in 1938 to capitalise on his later fame - the full version is 80 mins which for 60 odd years was thought lost but rediscovered and released on dvd.
Great piece of film history by John Blakeley who went on to make a series of notable comedy features with music hall stars with his new company Mancunian Films
One of the Queen's favourites! Formby was a superstar of his day. It may appear simple today, but it was early in the evolution of film entertainment. Fabulous to see. Thank you eugenecheese for sharing this wonderful archive piece.
I've watched a number of Formby's films over the past year, and he's definitely an acquired taste, like Arthur Askey or even Benny Hill. Formby's films may not be of the same level as Chaplin or Keaton, but he was extremely popular in his time - or at least popular enough to earn an OBE. Amazingly, he was also functionally illiterate and could not read music. BTW, "Beryl" in this film is his real-life wife, Beryl Ingham.
Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?"
Betty Driver from Coronation Street!! She can only have been 14?! EDIT - She does not actually appear in the film; Apparently Beryl entered the studio whilst Betty Driver was filming her dance routine, took one look at her and said; 'Either that kid goes or I do', Beryl herself replaced her. By then it was too late to change the opening credits.
Very delightful piece of nonsense, obviously done on a shoestring budget with single camera setups & almost every scene done in one single take. (Note: You can catch a brief glimpse of a camera assistant sticking in a 'tail-slate' in the lower right hand corner at the end of the musical number at 45:45)
NOOOOOOW THISSSSSSSS IS REAAAAAAAALLL WORLDDDDDD WAR 11111 ...!!!..GEORGE FOOORMMMMMMBBBYYYY CLASSICCCC..!!!..MEEE AND MEEE UUUUUKKKK..!!...CLEANING. WINNNDUUUUZZZ...!!!.LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL..!!!!...1933-2021..16/9
???? People lined up around the block to see this when it first came out? Had they never seen any other comedy film, ever? He was England's most beloved comedy star? Who was his competition? Adam Sandler's Grandpa?
@@YorkyOne An actor who used to make good comedy movies in the 90s and early 2000s but these days he mostly makes terrible movies apart from the Hotel Transylvania trilogy, The Meyerowitz Stories and Uncut Gems.
Very much a rising star at the time of this film, known throughout the north of England as one of the best music hall variety acts. Not high brow cerebral comedy in any sense but he presented a character that a lot of people related to. I'd say Formby could be compared to other beloved British comedy stars like Stan Laurel or Charlie Chaplin in terms of sheer talent, although he never broke out of Britain as his material and delivery wouldn't work elsewhere. Anyway, I wouldn't really expect a yank to get it.
@@ShanghaiGoat Subjective much ? I wonder if we have much choice today, or if its a case of what's chosen for us ? Case in point, the late Bernard Manning, not very sophisticated comedy but he was able to fill his Embassy Club right to the end despite being the BBC approved mob's Bette noir. Deceptively simple comedy in the hands of those able to handle a paying audience still beats what passes for mainstream comedy today, think Chubby Brown, or Jethro.
