Ealing Comedy (DVD)

...for this gift set of Ealing Comedies, featuring not only "Passport to Pimlico" but two films I had not, at that time, heard of, namely "Hue and Cry" and "The Titfield Thunderbolt". I am so glad that I did. I have been treated to an additional two features from the postwar period of the Ealing Studios that I might never have come across otherwise, and some great bonus features to boot.

HUE AND CRY
...
...regarded as the first true Ealing Comedy, and was written by T.E.B. (Tibby) Clarke, directed by Charles Crichton. Set in a war ravaged London it follows the adventures of a group of boys on the trail of East End gangsters.

Our teenage hero is Joe Kirby (Harry Fowler) who is joined by Scots choirboy Alec (endearingly played by Douglas Barr) and "The Blood and Thunder Boys". Joe, on his way into town to look for work, is deeply ... more

Looking for an original Christmas present for Dad? Granddad? Uncle Arthur? Maybe even Auntie Maureen? Then step into my office, for I have an idea. That's it, pull up a seat… just move the cat… help yourself to sherry and make yourself comfortable… I've got 3 feature length films to review here…

A few years ago (about 2003, perhaps?) I was looking for the DVD of "Passport to Pimlico". Back then it wasn't possible to buy the film individually and so I opted for this gift set of Ealing Comedies, featuring not only "Passport to Pimlico" but two films I had not, at that time, heard of, namely "Hue and Cry" and "The Titfield Thunderbolt". I am so glad that I did. I have been treated to an additional two features from the postwar period of the Ealing Studios that I might never have come across otherwise, and some great bonus features to boot.

HUE AND CRY
============

Released in 1947, this film is usually regarded as the first true Ealing Comedy, and was written by T.E.B. (Tibby) Clarke, directed by Charles Crichton. Set in a war ravaged London it follows the adventures of a group of boys on the trail of East End gangsters.

Our teenage hero is Joe Kirby (Harry Fowler) who is joined by Scots choirboy Alec (endearingly played by Douglas Barr) and "The Blood and Thunder Boys". Joe, on his way into town to look for work, is deeply engrossed in his comic book "Trump" when a peculiar set of coincidences he encounters cause him to suspect that events in the comic are actually being played out in real life, a notion which would mean terrible crimes are about to be committed and are being foretold in the weekly edition of his comic. A right minded young man, he tries to bring this to the attention of the police. This is a time, however, when such tomfoolery might only earn a boy a clip around the ear, and the local Detective Inspector duly packs him off to a fruit and vegetable stall in Covent Garden where he is employed by the seemingly jovial, yet slightly manic, Mr Nightingale (Jack Warner).

Of course no child is going to leave these circumstances un-investigated and what sort of story would this be if they did? Harry and Alec (the latter being a great authority on past and present editions of "Trump") set about probing the mystery, suspecting that the comic is being used by a criminal mastermind to instruct his henchmen all over the East End as to the next week's "jobs". It's not easy taking on the might of gangsters when your only arsenal consists of some catapults and the occasional pet rodent, but the boys of East London (and, it seems, token girl Clary, played by Joan Dowling) form a formidable network, relying on their wits and using ingenious modes of infiltration and investigation, trawling the capital's underground world, both literal and metaphorical. No-one is without suspicion, from writer Felix H. Wilkinson (Alastair Sim) to publisher's secretary Margaret Davies (Valerie White) and the race is on to identify the gangland boss before the next job is carried out, an adventure which culminates in the thrilling "Battle of Ballards Wharf".

As with all of the Ealing Comedies, this is not just a cracking story but is a film brimming over with fabulous characterisation. Most worthy of a mention is surely Alastair Sim's portrayal of Felix H. Wilkinson, the scarf-clad writer fond of a glass of ginger pop and gin, living a hermit's existence, tucked away in his taxidermy filled apartment with his cat Otto. Far more concerned about split infinitives creeping into his work than coded messages he is heard to mutter cautionary tales about the fate of "Nicky the Nark" and, as the tension mounts, sums up his take on the situation with an exasperated "Oh, how I loathe adventurous minded boys!" This film really is a true team effort, though, and there are numerous memorable performances, not only from the many leading characters but also from countless ancillary characters. Many scenes make me laugh out loud but loudest guffaws are elicited by a delightful sequence where the elements of London's criminal underworld are reading "Trump", some with considerable difficulty, to see who's working that evening.

The real delight of this film is how it comprises so many genre rolled into one piece. At times it seems as if the film is slapstick comedy, indeed the opening credits would suggest this, with shots of various miscreants engaging in rufty tufty and the titles popping up graffiti style; the scene where Harry is initially reading his "Trump" cleverly uses thought balloons to play out the action he's reading in the comic book; Alec's insistence at tickling the truth out of a suspect ("It worked fine in The Curse of the Cross Eyed Chinaman!") is yet another example of this tone. At other times the film is an emotive thriller and this is reflected in the cinematography: the scene where Harry and Alec seek out Felix has more than a nod in the direction of Film Noir with strange, dizzying camera angles of the interminable spiral staircase and clever use of shadows to depict eeriness; when it seems to the children that all is lost, and that they are powerless to bring the perpetrators to justice, this mood is reflected in the skies which lour over the bombed out landscape of East London. Although a comedy, there is a real feeling of underlying menace here, and it's not unreasonable of the boys to fear harm to themselves or the threat of borstal.

The soundtrack is composed by Frenchman Georges Auric, played by The Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Ernest Irving. Classical music enthusiasts will know that Auric was a member of "Les Six", a group of composers formed in the early 20th Century who rebelled against the Germanic tradition in music, and so will not be surprised that his scoring here is wonderfully expressive and wide ranging. At times it is witty, lyrical and playful, indeed even cartoon-like. At other times it is urgent, even martial in tone. Auric switches from one contrasting scenario to another fluidly, almost effortlessly. I feel that the music so readily reflects the tone of each scene that the dialogue might almost be dispensed with and the music could accompany the piece "silent movie style".

Location wise, there is much here to occupy beady eyed Londoners both past and present. Nostalgic shots of Wapping and Covent Garden abound, hosting the activities they were built to house, along with working Routemaster buses and good old fashioned London Bobbies. Contrasting with these, there are almost lunar-like scenes of post-war devastation in evidence, yet a population going about their daily lives.

At 78 minutes long and filmed in black and white, "Hue and Cry" is an enchanting comedy thriller which should please members of the family of all ages.

PASSPORT TO PIMLICO
====================

Released in 1949, "Passport to Pimlico" features another screenplay by Tibby Clarke but is directed by Henry Cornelius.

For the first minute or so of the film we could be anywhere but central London, with latin music playing and a woman reclining in the sun bedecked in sunglasses and floppy hat. A voice from the radio, complete with clipped heightened RP tones, chips in, however, telling us we have been listening to Les Norman and the Bethnell Green Bambinos (a little homage to Leslie Norman there, an Ealing Studios producer) and consequently we're introduced to the inhabitants of Miramont Place, Pimlico, toiling in the heat wave of 1947

An unexploded German bomb, affectionately named Pamela, lies in the wartime wreckage and is due to be exploded by the authorities. Before a controlled explosion can be carried out the bomb is accidentally detonated by children playing on the streets. No-one is hurt in the blast, although local shopkeeper Arthur Pemberton does have to be winched out of the resulting cavity and later reveals that he's sure he saw a cave full of treasure down there. He and daughter Shirley go back to investigate, under the cover of night, and do indeed find not only a hoard of glittering treasure, but also intriguing documents featuring the crest of the Duke of Burgundy. The ensuing inquest reveals, with the help of expert historian Professor Hatton-Jones (Margaret Rutherford), that the Grand Duke of Burgundy had, some centuries previously, not only exiled to Miramont House but had been granted the estate as part of Burgundy by King Edward IV. The nub of the situation is that this particular area of Pimlico is not a part of England at all, but is, as you've probably guessed by now, a part of Burgundy. As P.C. Spiller so eloquently puts it, "Blimey! I'm a foreigner!"

The implications of this discovery slowly sink in and the locals realise that their independence could mean an end to rationing and queuing for goods, an end to the need for pub licensing hours, an end to the need for licenses for live music, and indeed soon enough the good times roll. Once the newly declared Burgundians wake up from their prolonged celebrations, however, it becomes clear that there are all manner of complications resulting from their privileged status, not least the menace of black marketeers from all over London. Whitehall aren't too enchanted with the situation either and a battle of wills ensues between the Home Office and Burgundy. On numerous occasions the Burgundians seem destined to cede their independence but circumstances continually conspire to prevent this. The arrival of a monarch, the current Duke of Burgundy (played by Paul Dupuis), and the election of a government follow, and it's not long before Whitehall and Burgundy are in deadlock, blockades are up and children are evacuated to England.

The film is really defined by the absurd story of Tibby Clarkes' finely crafted screenplay, peppered with humourous dialogue and backed up by charmingly well observed performances. A truly ridiculous situation is simply accepted by the population of London with good humour, and really this is how the viewer needs to regard it. As the number 24 bus conductor nonchalently puts it:

"Miramont Place! Step lively, all you aliens!"

There is a fine, strong cast here and, yet again, the film is very much an ensemble piece with numerous characters having a share of the one-liners. Special mention must be made, though, of Margaret Rutherford's blue stockinged portrayal of Professor Hatton-Jones, of London University. A stout character, clad in cape and hat, despite the soaring temperatures, and seldom without her pince-nez, she turns in a splendid performance as the steely, obsessive academic whose discoveries represent the pinnacle of her career. The keen eye will also spot Charles Hawtrey as Bert Fitch.

The principal charm of this piece is its quintessential Britishness. Both sides of the dispute are slaves to the small print of the situation: the royal charter decrees that Miramont Place is Burgundy so Whitehall are duty bound to observe their independence, inconvenient though it is; likewise, the blockades erected around Miramont Place consist only of a little barbed wire and some patrolling police constables and in reality there is little in physical terms to keep the Burgundians in. The law, however, is the law. Charmingly, the Burgundians try to operate border controls on the train line passing through Pimlico, but are not altogether too sure how to deal with potential trouble when it arises:

"Have you any foreign currency? English pounds? Travellers cheques?"
"Suppose I 'ave?" (menacingly)
"Just wondering!" (making a hasty departure)

The film really is a product of its time and cleverly Cornelius brings a war time feel to it. Burgundy may be a small state but her subjects are fired up with wartime spirit and intend to fight for their rights, as Connie Pemberton points out with one of the most famous lines from the film:

"We always were English and we always will be English, and it's just because we ARE English that we're sticking up for our right to be Burgundian!"

As the nation's interest becomes caught up in the situation we are shown a newsreel in the style of Pathe News, praising the plucky little Burgundians: Molly Read, newly appointed Food Minister (displaced from the fish shop) is asked about her work at the Ministry of Food:

"Well, it's ever so nice really!"

Of course all this would have been timely at the point of release. The second world war over, Britain was a country rebuilding itself, both structurally and socially, and this is mirrored in the way that the residents of Miramont Place from an effective government and set about planning municipal facilities to benefit all. Social commentary aside, however, there is no denying that the piece is a delightfully absurd piece of light satire and must surely have lifted spirits then as it continues to do so now.

Georges Auric's score again expertly complements the shifting moods of the piece, although I have to say I don't find it as noteworthy as the scores of the other 2 films in this boxset.

Running at 80 minutes and filmed in black and white, "Passport to Pimlico" is a film which should appeal to a wide range of viewers, possibly adults and older children more so than younger children.

THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT
=========================

Released in 1952, "The Titfield Thunderbolt" features yet another screenplay by Tibby Clarke, inspired by the restoration of the Talyllin Railway in Wales, and is directed by Charles Crichton. Once more, Georges Auric composes the soundtrack, played by The Philharmonia Orchestra under Ernest Irving.

When the railway line serving their village is threatened with closure, the residents of Titfield are up in arms, determined that the oldest surviving branch line in the world should remain in operation. Parish clergyman Sam Weech (George Relph) and the Squire Gordon Chesterford (John Gregson) hatch a plan to run the service themselves, estimating they will need £10,000. The reverend's initial suggestion to hold jumble sales and flag days (and perhaps revive The Mikado) seems somewhat tired, having been put into action already for the organ fund, and somewhat unambitious, having only raised a mere £49 and 3 shillings. A more original scheme, therefore, is called for. Persuading the magnanimous local publican Valentine (Stanley Holloway) to invest the much needed money, with the promise that he can run a bar on the train whenever journeys are underway, most of the village is roped into making the project a success. Of course if it were as easy as that, this wouldn't be an Ealing Comedy. To complicate matters the local bus company, Pearce and Crump, are not only the competition, but also want a monopoly on local transport and will run to all manner of dirty tricks in order to prevent the train service from succeeding. Add to this the fact that local government beaurocrats insist that the villagers only have one month to make the project a success, at which point they will have to pass an inspection in order to keep the line open, and you have a tight deadline thrown in, just to ensure that the maximum amount of mayhem ensues in the minimum amount of time.

The film is based on a very straightforward storyline and this charges along at a great pace, featuring that common Ealing Comedy trait, namely ordinary people pulling together to pull off an extraordinary event in record breaking time. The viewer knows that surely it must all end well, but the action keeps you on tenterhooks throughout as the hapless amateur railway workers contend with calamity after calamity, whether sabotage, courtesy of Pearce and Crump, or a duel with Hawkins' (Sidney James) steamroller. (I must say that this latter scene did evoke memories of a certain Spielberg film, only 1950s style and rather more tongue in cheek). As one would expect from the Ealing Comedy stable, the film is an accomplished ensemble piece and is embroidered with great character acting, but unlike the other 2 films in this boxset I wouldn't say there is one particular performance that especially stands out above the rest. Having said that, George Relph's Vicar, Stanley Holloways's bon viveur of a landlord and the inebriated plate layer Dan Taylor (Hugh Griffith) all delight. They just don't necessarily have that certain extra something delivered by Alastair Sim in "Hue and Cry" or Margaret Rutherford in "Passport to Pimlico". I'm not sure that this is actually a reflection on the performers' capabilities as such, more likely just that the material in this instance isn't quite as superb as that in the other films.

This was the first Ealing Comedy to be filmed in glorious Technicolor® and given the subject matter I really do think this adds to the ambience. There is extensive, even indulgent, footage of steam engines charging through the countryside (mainly filmed in the Cam Valley, near Bath) and this should prove a real treat for all railway enthusiasts. Indeed I'd go so far as to guess it's steam engine pornography. Even non train lovers can sit back and luxuriate in bucolic bliss. There's a deep sense of nostalgia and even if, like myself, you aren't quite old enough to remember this film first time round, it is still a comforting world of bowler hats and bicycles, reassuring to inhabit for a little while.

Georges Auric's scoring yet again delivers in expressivity and is wonderfully complementary to the action. Most notable of all, I would say, is his music for the opening credits which, to put it simply, really does resemble the chuffing of engines and the blowing of whistles.

At 80 minutes long, "The Titfield Thunderbolt" is a pacy little film and there are certainly far worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than in front of this.

A NOTE ON QUALITY OF SOUND AND PICTURE
=======================================

These are, obviously, old films and occasionally, in the darker scenes of the black and white films, it can be harder to make out the picture. I found this particularly in one or two scenes of "Passport to Pimlico". I didn't find that this was particularly detrimental to my viewing pleasure but if this is likely to bother you it may be worth checking out the forthcoming new releases of these films (November 2006) as they may have been tinkered with. I should also point out that the discs in this boxset do not feature subtitles, which is a bit of a shame as quite a proportion of the Ealing Comedy clientele may be a little hard of hearing these days.

BONUS FEATURES
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The bonus features for this boxset are included on a separate disc and represent good value for money, although they deal with Ealing films generally rather than just the films included in this set.

There is a 50 minute documentary "Forever Ealing", narrated by Michael Balcon's grandson, Daniel Day Lewis, which tells the story of the Ealing Studios from silent movies to early comedies featuring Gracie Fields and George Formby, horror features such as "Dead of Night" to the postwar Ealing Comedies, through to the BBC's use of the studios for making classics such as "Cathy Come Home". There are numerous interviews with actors such as Sir John Mills and Googie Withers, and directors such as Terry Gilliam, Martin Scorsese and Richard Attenborough. Whilst taking in a broad area of cinematic history I do think this is still a really interesting feature for fans of Ealing Comedy, with plenty of insight into the times in which the films were produced.

The bonus disc also features contemporary directors introducing various Ealing Comedies, again not these particular films but nonetheless interesting:

- Terry Gilliam introduces "The Ladykillers"
- John Landis introduces "Kind Hearts and Coronets"
- Martin Scorsese introduces "The Lavender Hill Mob"
- Stephen Frears introduces "The Man in the White Suit"

It is a shame that there are no introductions on the 3 films specifically included in this gift set, but I think this bonus disc is also aimed at the people who buy the other gift sets - i.e. it's aimed at those who buy all the films in the series. These short introductions, however, are quite intriguing if you're interested not only in the comedies but in the work of the directors featured. I was particularly interested to hear how Martin Scorsese felt "Kind Hearts and Coronets" had influenced his treatment of "Good Fellas".

There are also theatrical trailers for 6 Ealing Comedies, including "Passport to Pimlico" and "The Titfield Thunderbolt", although I was a little dismayed that there was no sound on my "Passport to Pimlico" trailer.

The bonus disc also functions as a DVD-Rom and includes original campaign brochures for all 3 titles included in this boxset, as well as 4 other Ealing Comedies.

The boxset includes 4 art cards, 3 of which feature theatrical artwork from the 3 main features included and one of which is a photograph of the Ealing Studios.

AVAILABILITY
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This particular gift set is available widely both online and on the high street at a range of prices and I would recommend shopping around to find a good deal. All 3 films are now available individually as well and I would suggest waiting until mid-November so as to see how the new individual editions differ from the older ones, if at all. The films do occasionally come up on TV. I certainly have come across seasons of Ealing Comedy on Channel 4 in the last year or so.

IN SUMMARY
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On the whole I have been very pleased with my purchase and continue to derive pleasure from this boxset. Nicely presented, it's a great gift for fans of classic cinema or for older members of the family who may remember seeing some of these first time around. There aren't many better ways for the family to spend the cold, wet winter afternoons than together watching these.

ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL INFO
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Region 2
Certificate PG
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: (1.0 mono) English
Subtitles: None
Released 2003, Warner Home Video UK Ltd

Hue & Cry: 78 mins; Black & White; 1947 Canal + Image UK Ltd
Passport to Pimlico: 80 mins; Black & White; 1949 Canal + Image UK Ltd
The Titfield Thunderbolt: 80 mins; Colour; 1952 Canal + Iamage UK Ltd

 

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