George's penultimate film and different from all of his others in that there's a cold blooded murder perpetrated in front of our startled eyes. Probably the inevitable result of 5 years of tens of millions of cold blooded murders thanks to WW2 though, and after all 1939 was another era. And Columbia trying to send George in a new direction, although for their pains the film earned an "A" certificate.
George Trotter arrives in London from Manchester trying to make his name on the stage. He becomes ensconced in Ma Tubbs Select Boarding House full which is full of eccentric international thespians trying to make it big too, such as Alpha and Omega (the Boswell Twins) the part time Siamese twins even after George broke up their act! George's next door neighbour in room 13 acrobat Dennis Wyndham is murdered George is framed for it and spends the rest of the film trying to prove his innocence. Meanwhile the crafty foreign murderer seems to be getting away with it, until he attempts to murder our George too. Luckily imperturbable Inspector Ian Fleming was in charge, and not Detective Sergeant Wally "They can't make a fool out of me" Patch, otherwise George would've been hanged in double quick time. Songs: I'd Like A Dream Like That and the even more risqué than usual She's Got Two Of Everything (for the boarders) and He Was Such A Daring Young Man (during the show, integral to the plot). Favourite bits: The efficiently executed murder; Wally Patch bumbling around chasing George; the denouement and the very end when he and Marjorie Browne laugh into the camera it's only a film and nothing really happened.
Too dark a subject to be one of my favourite Formby's, but as usual entertaining for a fan and well worth watching
George Trotter arrives in London from Manchester trying to make his name on the stage. He becomes ensconced in Ma Tubbs Select Boarding House full which is full of eccentric international thespians trying to make it big too, such as Alpha and Omega (the Boswell Twins) the part time Siamese twins even after George broke up their act! George's next door neighbour in room 13 acrobat Dennis Wyndham is murdered George is framed for it and spends the rest of the film trying to prove his innocence. Meanwhile the crafty foreign murderer seems to be getting away with it, until he attempts to murder our George too. Luckily imperturbable Inspector Ian Fleming was in charge, and not Detective Sergeant Wally "They can't make a fool out of me" Patch, otherwise George would've been hanged in double quick time. Songs: I'd Like A Dream Like That and the even more risqué than usual She's Got Two Of Everything (for the boarders) and He Was Such A Daring Young Man (during the show, integral to the plot). Favourite bits: The efficiently executed murder; Wally Patch bumbling around chasing George; the denouement and the very end when he and Marjorie Browne laugh into the camera it's only a film and nothing really happened.
Too dark a subject to be one of my favourite Formby's, but as usual entertaining for a fan and well worth watching