George Formby struggled to remain relevant after the war, and soon wisely quit films. The warm-hearted pre-war farces at which he excelled were followed by his enjoyable wartime flagwavers, but it quickly became clear that George wouldn't be able to cut it again in Civvy Street, as styles grew more realistic, and the competition was no longer the stagey quota quickies of the 30s, but harder-edged violent thrillers like Brighton Rock and No Orchids for Miss Blandish. I Didn't Do It was a game attempt to live in that world, but it simply doesn't work.
The sub-par casting doesn't help - Marjorie Browne is sweet but utterly forgettable, Jack Daly rather repellent, and Caryll & Mundy's style is too coarse to carry as much of the action as they do. The attention is naturally drawn by the experienced and talented actors playing the policemen and the villain. George is on good form, but one aches for the songs, of which we only get three, to arrive. However, She's Got Two of Everything is George at his best, and I'd Like a Dream Like That isn't bad either.
The main problem is the inordinate length. Padded out to 95 minutes, it should have ended quickly after about an hour. The whole final scene of the revue is superfluous, stupendously boring and only tangentially related to the solution of the crime.
The sub-par casting doesn't help - Marjorie Browne is sweet but utterly forgettable, Jack Daly rather repellent, and Caryll & Mundy's style is too coarse to carry as much of the action as they do. The attention is naturally drawn by the experienced and talented actors playing the policemen and the villain. George is on good form, but one aches for the songs, of which we only get three, to arrive. However, She's Got Two of Everything is George at his best, and I'd Like a Dream Like That isn't bad either.
The main problem is the inordinate length. Padded out to 95 minutes, it should have ended quickly after about an hour. The whole final scene of the revue is superfluous, stupendously boring and only tangentially related to the solution of the crime.