Anyone who loves a 1930s comedy musical will love this chic, classy hour and a half of silliness.
You would never guess that this was made by the very bankrupt Gaumont-British (in the process of being subsumed into Rank). The production standards and sumptuous sets look amazing. The final number for example, filmed in one take, needed two sound stages and involved a whole mile of dancing. This impossible number was meant to be part of a what's being seen on a stage and Buddy Bradley's flight of fancy choreography is reminiscent of how Busby Berkeley made us believe an entire New York street was on the stage in 42ND STREET.
This was Sonnie Hale's last go at directing. He didn't stop because he wasn't any good at it - he actually delivers an energetic and engaging picture. The trouble was that he blamed his career on destroying his marriage. He was married to Jessie Matthews and apparently their professionalism was too much to allow either of them to leave their work back at the studio. .....well that and the fact that Jessie found out her husband was having numerous affairs. If you're familiar 1) with what Sonnie Hale looked like and 2) that he was married to the sexiest, most gorgeous English film star of the 1930s you'll think this is impossible - was he mad?
This is not quite one of Jessie Matthews' best films but it's still brilliantly entertaining and filled with a mix of silly and uniquely subtle humour that you only find in an English film. There's never a dull moment in this, the script is witty and Hale directs this as though he'd been doing it for years. Jessie Matthews is fabulous, she's both graceful and funny, authentic and endearing. She brings such a warmth presence to every minute she's on screen, she's somehow instantly loveable.
This film also benefits from a superb supporting cast especially Roland Young, who has never been funnier. I wasn't convinced however that Barry MacKay, with his cut-glass accent was believable as a grimy Thames barge man which is odd because Jessie Matthews with her own cut-glass accent is believable - maybe that just shows what a very talented actress she was.
