I Thank You is produced by Gainsborough Pictures, it's directed by Marcel Varnel and it stars Arthur Askey and Richard "Stinker" Murdoch. Set in London during World War II Blitz period, the story sees Askey & Murdoch as a couple of variety entertainers who find themselves out of work. In desperate need of money to put on a show, the pair dress up as house servants {Murdoch a servant and Askey in drag as a cook} and bluff their way into the home of Lady Randall, an ex-music hall star known to give financial aid to performers in the arts close to her heart. However, chaos reigns.
The diminutive Askey always proved divisive in film form, massively popular as a comedian and music hall performer, his silver screen outings were a very mixed bunch. Some were manic and guilty of letting Askey swamp the movie {he was an acquired taste}, other efforts found the right blend and let other actors impact on said film.I Thank You fits thankfully into the latter category. It is helped enormously by the writing, it's co-written by the two men influential in the best of Will Hay's cinema outings in the late 30s, Val Guest & Marriott Edgar {from a story by Howard Irving Young}. With that in mind, it's no surprise to find Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt in the cast. Along with Will Hay they formed one of British cinemas greatest comedy acts, but come 1940 Hay had had enough and went solo. Gainsborough put both guys with Askey in the hope of creating a new dream team for the 40s, that was never likely to work in all honesty, but they do have their moments. Such as here, where Marriott completely owns the film as chaos loving old curmudgeon Pop Bennett.
There's some nice tunes in the piece too. Askey sings "Hello To The Sun" & "Half Of Everything Is Yours" while the closing "Waiting At The Church" sung by Lily Morris {Lady Randall} is a bona fide classic. It's a fun frolic time of a movie, whippy one liners are cloaked in farcical set pieces, all guided by the assured hands of director Varnel. One of the better offerings in Askey's canon, and essential for those who wish to view the brilliant talent of Moore Marriott. 7/10
