18 October 2011 | mikelang42
A cast to die for in old time comedy Brit film.
I am an Old Time Variety writer,see cine variety on google and may be biased,but to answer Malcolm on this site who does not understand the BFI reasons for making a new fantastic print of this rarely seen UK 50s comedy is very simple.The list of comics to be seen,some of whom can't be seen to their advantage due to films lost and who's TV shows were binned by the BBC and ITV. Cardew Robinson (looking like The X Factor's Johnny Robinson)as Cardew the Cad (Radio show Variety Bandbox) in his only major film role,Fred Emney,Davy Kaye,Claude Hulbert, Stanley Unwin,Peter Butterworth,Gerald Campion,Ronnie Corbett,Melvin Hayes, plus UK Boxer Freddie Mills and 50s pop king Johnny Brandon backed by Francis Langford's Singing Scholars and the lovely Vera Day. So what if the jokes grate and the first half sags, but the second half picks up with the school concert and some good songs. The film was shown for the first time on UK TV by Sky Arts. Thank you to them and the BFI for their work. Loved by this old codger.