Turned Out Nice Again

This was the 2nd of the 9 last Formby films directed by Marcel Varnel and Formby's last for Ealing – Varnel went over and worked for Columbia too. As such it was the end of a chapter, the Columbia's had a different atmosphere and were just as nice to watch yet imho the classic films were all behind him now.

George Smallman Pearson works at Dawson's Underwear Company, gets promotion and takes a trade show down to London where he gets sold the rights to a brand new material for making virtually transparent bloomers and brassieres. He's loyal to his company which is apparently 20 years behind the times making even more weird underwear for women than their flashy competitor. It costs him £300 of his own money to get the rights, whilst generally living dangerously on HP … when you get down to it people don't change, only the things they get into debt for. He's married this time but heavily leaned upon by his domineering mother, and hassled by his pigeon-fancying Uncle Arnold – played by Edward Chapman later to become Mr. Grimsdale to Norman Wisdom. Michael Rennie makes a fleeting godlike appearance, and Wilfred Hyde-White is a crabbed removal man. The War was not mentioned either. Songs: the classic Auntie Maggie's Remedy (on the bus, my favourite bit), the sly You Can't Go Wrong In These (on the catwalk), the rousing Emperor Of Lancashire (in the club) and the syrupy You're Everything To Me, having a cup of tea on the verandah with Peggy Bryan.

Well, yet overall another pleasant outing from the team, totally nonsensical and inconsequential and one I try to see every couple of years or so.