Table Of Contentrrrrrr AAddrriiaann rrrrrrrr
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CCCCCC THE BRITISH MUSICAL FILM
CCCCCCCC FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF
TALKING PICTURES IN THE LATE
1920S THROUGH THE DEPRESSION
BBBRRRIIITTTIIISSSHHH OF THE 1930S UP TO THE END
OF WORLD WAR II.
CCCC
!!!!!! MMMUUUSSSIIICCCAAALLL
pppppp BBBRRRIIITTTIIISSSHHH The upsurge in production at British studios
UUUUUU FFFIIILLLMMMSSS hhhh from 1929 onwards marked the real birth
!!!!!!!! MMMUUUSSSIIICCCAAALLL of a genre whose principal purpose was to
111999222999---111999444555 eeee pppppppp entertain the British public. This endeavour
ADRIAN WRIGHT is a performer, UUUUUUUU FFFIIILLLMMMSSS was deeply aff ected by the very many emigres
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novelist and writer. His previous books escaping Nazi Germany, who fl ooded into the
with Boydell include A Tanner’s Worth of rrrr British fi lm industry during this decade, as
Tune: Rediscovering the Post-War British 111999222999---111999444555 the genre tried to establish itself.
Musical (2010), West End Broadway:
UUUU The British musical fi lm in the 1930s refl ects
The Golden Age of the American Musical in
Who will remember ‘Our Gracie’ waving goodbye; Jack Buchanan a richness of interest. Studios initially fl irted
London (2012) and Must Close Saturday:
with fi lming what were essentially stage
The Decline and Fall of the British Musical constantly bumping into Elsie Randolph; Bobby Howes celebrating pppp
productions plucked from the West End
Flop (2017). He has previously written
the invention of the Belisha Beacon, doing a cat duet with Wylie theatre but soon learned that importing a
on the subject of fi lm music in his !!!!
foreign star was a box-offi ce boost.
biography of William Alwyn, Watson and giving ideas to Rene Ray about ham sandwiches;
Major musical stars including Jessie
The Innumerable Dance (2008). John Wood and Claire Luce climbing the steps of the lighthouse
FFBB Matthews, Richard Tauber and George
His fi ction includes the Francis and breathing on windows in Over She Goes, these accompanied by Formby established themselves during
IIRR
and Gordon Jones Mysteries series: some of the most deft British and American composers of their LL this period. From its beginning, the British
The Voice of Doom, The Coming Day MMITIT musical fi lm captured some of the most
and Forget Me Not. time, their work lighter and freer than air. We catch those airs still, notable music-hall performers on screen,
II
breathing on windows and wondering what became of it all. SSSS and its obsession with music-hall persisted
throughout the war years. Other fi lms
,,HH
11
married popular and classical music with
99
social issues of poverty and unemployment,
22MM
a message of social integration that long
99 preceded the eff orts of the Ealing studios
UU
-- to encourage a sense of social cohesion in
SS
11 post-war Britain. The treatment of the fi lms
99
II discussed is linear, each fi lm dealt with in
CC
44 order of its release date, and allowing for
55AA an engaging narrative packed with
encyclopaedic information.
LL
COVER IMAGE: GITTA ALPÁR IN
EVERYTHING IN LIFE (1936)
AAddrriiaann WWrriigghhtt
COVER DESIGN: WWW.STAY-CREATIVE.CO.UK
CHEER UP!
‘To Everything in Life’: the British over-glamorisation of Gitta Alpár in
Everything in Life (1936)
CH E E R U P !
British Musical Films, 1929–1945
Adrian Wright
THE BOYDELL PRESS
© Adrian Wright 2020
All Rights Reserved. Except as permitted under current legislation
no part of this work may be photocopied, stored in a retrieval system,
published, performed in public, adapted, broadcast,
transmitted, recorded or reproduced in any form or by any means,
without the prior permission of the copyright owner
The right of Adrian Wright to be identified as
the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
First published 2020
The Boydell Press, Woodbridge
ISBN 978 1 78327 499 4
eISBN 978 1 78744 903 9
The Boydell Press is an imprint of Boydell & Brewer Ltd
PO Box 9, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DF, UK
and of Boydell & Brewer Inc.
668 Mt Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620–2731, USA
website: www.boydellandbrewer.com
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
The publisher has no responsibility for the continued existence or accuracy of URLs for
external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee
that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate
COVER IMAGE: GITTA ALPÁR IN
EVERYTHING IN LIFE (1936)
COVER DESIGN: WWW.STAY-CREATIVE.CO.UK
This is for the ‘extras’
Contents
List of Illustrations xi
Preface and Acknowledgements xiii
1929
Auld Lang Syne • Under the Greenwood Tree • Dark Red Roses
• The Co-Optimists • Splinters 1
1930
Comets • Elstree Calling • Raise the Roof • Song of Soho • Harmony Heaven
• The Flame of Love • The Loves of Robert Burns • Just for a Song • Greek
Street • Piccadilly Nights • The Brat (The Nipper) • The Yellow Mask •
Spanish Eyes • Big Business • Why Sailors Leave Home 9
1931
City of Song • Sally in Our Alley • Gipsy Blood • Out of the Blue
• Sunshine Susie • The Love Race • The Beggar Student • Congress Dances 26
1932
The Blue Danube • Lord Babs • In a Monastery Garden • Goodnight, Vienna
• The First Mrs Fraser • Indiscretions of Eve • His Lordship • Lucky Girl •
Jack’s the Boy • Love on the Spot • Monte Carlo Madness • The Love Contract
• Love on Wheels • The Maid of the Mountains • Looking on the Bright Side
• Marry Me • Happy Ever After • Tell Me Tonight • Sleepless Nights • Say It
with Music • Where Is This Lady? • The Midshipmaid • For the Love of Mike
• Born Lucky 35
1933
Yes, Mr Brown • The Little Damozel • The Good Companions • Soldiers of
the King • King of the Ritz • Radio Parade • The Only Girl • Facing the Music
• Waltz Time • Maid Happy • Falling for You • Britannia of Billingsgate •
Prince of Arcadia • Bitter Sweet • Early to Bed • This Week of Grace •
The Song You Gave Me • The Girl from Maxim’s • This is the Life • Going Gay
• That’s a Good Girl • You Made Me Love You • A Southern Maid •
I Adore You • For Love of You • Aunt Sally 56
viii CONTENTS
1934
Lily of Killarney • Say It with Flowers • On the Air • Jack Ahoy! • Waltzes from
Vienna • Happy • Boots! Boots! • The Queen’s Affair • Love, Life and Laughter
• The Unfinished Symphony • Two Hearts in Waltz Time • Princess Charming
• Evergreen • Those Were the Days • The Broken Melody • How’s Chances?
• Over the Garden Wall • Music Hall • Danny Boy • Song at Eventide • Give
Her a Ring • Chu Chin Chow • Blossom Time • My Song for You • Gay Love •
There Goes Susie • Sing As We Go • Love-Mirth-Melody • Romance in
Rhythm • My Song Goes Round the World • Mister Cinders • Evensong •
The Broken Rosary • The Kentucky Minstrels • My Heart Is Calling •
Road House • Spring in the Air • Radio Parade of 1935 • Temptation 81
1935
His Majesty and Co. • Things Are Looking Up • In Town Tonight • Oh, Daddy!
• Street Song • Radio Pirates • Variety • Off the Dole • Heat Wave • Hello
Sweetheart • Squibs • The Divine Spark • Look Up and Laugh • Dance Band
• Cock o’ the North • Charing Cross Road • Me and Marlborough •
The Student’s Romance • Heart’s Desire • Jimmy Boy • The Deputy Drummer
• Car of Dreams • Honeymoon for Three • A Fire Has Been Arranged •
Invitation to the Waltz • Music Hath Charms • No Limit • Father O’Flynn •
First a Girl • I Give My Heart • Hyde Park Corner • Come Out of the Pantry •
She Shall Have Music • Two Hearts in Harmony 118
1936
Stars on Parade • Ball at Savoy • Limelight • Sunshine Ahead • Cheer Up!
• Queen of Hearts • When Knights Were Bold • Soft Lights and Sweet Music
• Jack of All Trades • Public Nuisance No. 1 • Beloved Impostor • Faithful •
King of Hearts • Happy Days Are Here Again • Forget-Me-Not • Melody of
My Heart • It’s Love Again • Shipmates o’ Mine • Men of Yesterday •
Everything Is Rhythm • She Knew What She Wanted • A Star Fell from
Heaven • The Robber Symphony • Dodging the Dole • Annie Laurie • Calling
the Tune • Guilty Melody • Keep Your Seats, Please • Rhythm in the Air •
Song of Freedom • Gypsy Melody • The Beloved Vagabond • Southern Roses •
Land Without Music • Everybody Dance • Live Again • The Last Waltz •
Dreams Come True • This’ll Make You Whistle • Everything in Life • Variety
Parade • Sporting Love • Pagliacci • Murder at the Cabaret 148
1937
Café Colette • Wake Up Famous • London Melody • Please Teacher • Head
Over Heels • Moonlight Sonata • Kathleen Mavourneen • Feather Your Nest
• Mayfair Melody • Variety Hour • Calling All Stars • The Show Goes On •
CONTENTS ix
The Street Singer • The Gang Show • Rose of Tralee • O-Kay for Sound •
Glamorous Night • Song of the Forge • Take My Tip • Sunset in Vienna •
Big Fella • The Penny Pool • Let’s Make a Night of It • Talking Feet • Sing As
You Swing • The Lilac Domino • Keep Fit • The Girl in the Taxi • Gangway •
Command Performance • Over She Goes • The Minstrel Boy • The Last Rose
of Summer • Rhythm Racketeer • Shooting Stars • Saturday Night Revue •
Paradise for Two • The Sky’s the Limit • Intimate Relations • Melody and
Romance • Mad About Money 187
1938
Lily of Laguna • The Singing Cop • Sweet Devil • Sailing Along • I See Ice
• Thistledown • Chips • On Velvet • Around the Town • We’re Going to Be
Rich • Mountains o’ Mourne • Little Dolly Daydream • Kicking the Moon
Around • Break the News • Stepping Toes • Follow Your Star • Hold My Hand
• Lassie from Lancashire • Calling All Crooks • Penny Paradise • Save a Little
Sunshine • Yes, Madam? • It’s in the Air • Keep Smiling • My Irish Molly 224
1939
The Mikado • Me and My Pal • Let’s Be Famous • Trouble Brewing
• The Lambeth Walk • Music Hall Parade • Shipyard Sally • Discoveries
• Come on George! • Lucky to Me 246
1940
The Proud Valley • Laugh It Off • Band Waggon • Let George Do It! • Pack Up
Your Troubles • Old Mother Riley in Society • Garrison Follies • Somewhere in
England • Crook’s Tour • Under Your Hat • Sailors Three • Spare a Copper
• Cavalcade of Variety 257
1941
Danny Boy • Turned Out Nice Again • Facing the Music • He Found a Star
• I Thank You • Gert and Daisy’s Weekend • Bob’s Your Uncle • Hi Gang!
• South American George 274
1942
Somewhere in Camp • Let the People Sing • Gert and Daisy Clean Up •
Much Too Shy • Rose of Tralee • We’ll Smile Again • Somewhere on Leave
• We’ll Meet Again • King Arthur Was a Gentleman • The Balloon Goes Up 282
x CONTENTS
1943
It’s That Man Again • Variety Jubilee • Get Cracking • The Dummy Talks
• Happidrome • I’ll Walk Beside You • Miss London Ltd • Theatre Royal
• Rhythm Serenade • Somewhere in Civvies • Up with the Lark • Down
Melody Lane • It’s in the Bag • Battle for Music • Bell-Bottom George 294
1944
Demobbed • Bees in Paradise • Heaven is Round the Corner • Candles at
Nine • One Exciting Night • Champagne Charlie • Give Me the Stars •
Fiddlers Three • My Ain Folk • Dreaming • He Snoops to Conquer 306
1945
Flight from Folly • For You Alone • I’ll Be Your Sweetheart • I Didn’t Do It
• Waltz Time • Home Sweet Home 318
Notes to the Text 329
Select Bibliography 342
Index of Film Titles 344
General Index 349
