Good film, many thanks for posting. From back in the day when film makers were able to tell a decent story in 72mins, rather than a rubbish story in 150mins.
Loved this film, great setting, inside and outside a lighthouse, hearing them fog horns blow,just set the atmosphere. Loved Gordon ,what a likeable character, great actor, thank you for sharing.
I discovered Gordon Harker on RU-vid a couple of years ago. Great comedy actor. Especially love him and my other favourite British actor, Alastair Sim, in the three Inspector Hornleigh films📽🎥🎬🎭😎❤️
Superduper adventure, dramatic sea coast setting, great real lighthouse interiors, fabulous characters loaded with individuality, clever and apropos dialogue, edge-of-seat climax, plus, a blond who gets to show off her legs, and, for once, a closing handshake instead of a movie kiss! Yay!
Love this, just came across the film as I recently learned that the actress Alice O'Dea 1882 - 1937 from Kilfinnane, Co. Limerick (usually misspelled as 'O'Day') who plays Mrs. Owens was a cousin of my 2x great-grandfather Michael Patrick O'Dea.
Brilliant I love these old British films. The scenery the atmosphere the actors it just reminds of good old England (Britain) and how we used to be. Thanks for posting it and keep them coming please .
I agree, it is awful the way things have turned out, I find myself searching for old films and living through them to back in the day, bloody sad what England has turned into. God bless you Robert🙏
The little boy in the light house was played by John Singer. He had only 76 credits, and was uncredited in many of them. The Phantom Light was his 26th role. He was born in Hastings, East Sussex on December 4th, 1923, and he died in Turnbridge Wells, Kent, England, on July 7th, 1987, at the age of just 63 years and 7 months. (He was only 12 when he appeared in The Phantom Light.)
This film is far better than you might have imagined. One cutting line after the next. The actress is superb and clesrly responsible for much improvisation, leaving her unattainable!
I am really enjoying this movie. I like watching Gordon Harker films. The comedy is good. I laughed out loud when he opened the curtain of the light house bed and the crazy man was sitting up.
Looking forward to seeing this film. I've recently discovered Gordan Hawker and now on the lookout for his films. He always makes me laugh as his delivery of his lines is amazing. Thank you!
The Phantom Light, released UK 5 August 1935, USA 1950 (re-release). Binnie Hale as Alice Bright; Gordon Harker as Sam Higgins; Donald Calthrop as David Owen; Milton Rosmer as Dr. Carey; Ian Hunter as Jim Pearce; Herbert Lomas as Claff Owen; Reginald Tate as Tom Evans; Barry O'Neill as Capt. Pearce; Mickey Brantford as Bob Peters; Alice O'Day as Mrs. Owen; Fewlass Llewellyn as Griffith Owen; Edgar K. Bruce as Sgt. Owen; Louie Emery, Station Mistress; Anthony Holles as Mr. Mason; Ernest Jay, Railway Worker; Vi Kaley, Woman in Pub; John Singer, Cabin Boy.
A good film from the days when movies like this were made mainly for the domestic market,without one eye being kept on whether America would like it.Domestic cinema attendance was on a high back then,so you could produce a British film about aspects of our life and make a decent profit.Films like this were k own as 'Quota Quickies' made for a government ruling that a percentage of movies shown in the UK had to be completely British product.This was done in an attempt to reduce American domination of the UK box office.
".... Owen, Owen, Owen. Ain't there anybody payin'?" It's why I love watching Gordon Harker movies. "I'm an actress. The police is after me". "Why? You act as bad as all that?" More reason why we love Gordon.
"Another white man..." funny. I saw this film about 35 yrs ago on TV, stayed up to watch it, newspaper described it as a 'spine tingler' me and my father laughed at that after watching it, but haven't seen or found it since. Think I may have fallen asleep during it last time.
@@allenkracalik7662 I think there is a middle ground here. Technically in the 30s the US movie was streets ahead but I think the British product was under-rated (mainly by themselves). Hollywood were well aware of British talent with the advent of the talkie and made full use of it.
@@allenkracalik7662 There was a good cinema audience in the UK at the time, and so the British film output was quite reasonable for the time. If the British were ahead in the odd quality films like 'The 39 steps', America will have filmed 1000 films in the same timeframe. The British film output was very small compared to America to make worthwhile comparisons. Technically, I would compare Frankenstein as similar in quality to 'Sanders of the River', where the film speed, and speech seemed unreliable for whole of the respective films.
Michael Powell went on to become one of Britain's finest film directors. "The Red Shoes" is probably his most famous film but check out "A Matter of Life and Death" starring David Niven. It's on RU-vid.
Look for the gilms of Powell and Pressburger, they made some of the finest British films of all time. Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life And Death are merely the jewel in their crown
This movie was made in 1935, when women didn't yet go out in public wearing miniskirts or shorts. Many moviegoers probably watched this movie just to get a good look at Ms. Hale's legs.
With a name like Mary Owen you know I have to like this movie in Wales!! The touch of Michael Powell’s direction adds the icing on the cake!👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️And a young Ian Holme!!
That was on of my favorite parts of this film. But the part I liked even better was when Binnie Hale told Gordon Harker, (for the 4th time), "I'm going to tell you the truth." And he replied" "What, again?"
Don't forget that classic line in The Old Dark House (1932) where Karloff's - mute - character mutters gibberish and Melvin Douglas comments "Even Welsh ought not to sound like that."
@@IAmJimRetzer I recall the movie "How Green Was My Valley" [1941]. The range of strange and various accents was heroic. Every time the miners moved in a group, they started singing... just like real life.
Neil Thomas, My dad was born in Swansea, but moved to Australia in the early 50s. Our last names Thomas. Both my grandparents had welsh accents. I’ve never been over there yet, but it’s on my to do list.
Anyone else spot that the Welsh lighthouse keeper Clepp Owen was also in another Gainsborough picture - Arnold Ridley's story 'The Ghost Train' featuring Arthur Askey. There he plays a Cornish man. Very similar kind of story really, which without giving spoilers is about creating a smokescreen for personal gain by dastardly means.... That film too is here on RU-vid. It is also entertaining, but Askey is somewhat annoying in it.
The old woman station mistress at the start of the film was based on the real life TAN- Y-BWLCH station mistress Bessie Jones who used to appear in summer in traditional Welsh costume.
Sadly the subtitles (I don't have sound) were all but incoherent but I managed to roughly follow the story. Does anyone know where it was filmed? Tan y Bwilch is a fair way inland from the coast - nice to see the pre-preservation Festiniog railway - and I can't think which port would have PW registration letters on a boat, but the village clearly wasn't a set. Nice to see one of the old time 'pulling' lifeboats too.
I grew up watching Will Hay- who is also my hero- and discovering Gordon Harker in a leading role in a film is wonderful. I'll forever remember him as Brown Sr in 'Boys Will Be Boys' but I'm so glad he was more than that. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece! It's 24th December 2019 in Dongying City, Shandong, China as I type this. Merry Christmas to all and for those who don't celebrate Christmas; I wish you a safe, happy and long life!
Not really and I think the goverment made it illegal. (I may be wrong) Tornados, wouldn't want to be in the path of one of those! 😂 Thanks for the reply. 😊
I think her short film career was because of her high pitched shrill voice. Its almost on the verge of Billie Burkes voice, and that voice makes me want to run and hide !
The scenes of the boats arriving and leaving were filmed in Boscastle, Cornwall. Anyone know if the pub scenes are from the same location? I'm watching and trying to see if the one pub is the Cobweb Inn. Hard to tell. Anyone know?
