Meet Mr. Lucifer

Before going on stage, an actor playing Lucifer (Stanley Holloway) comes back to the theatre drunk after having a discussion in a pub about the scourge of television. After he knocks his head he is introduced to Lucifer himself (also played by Holloway) who shows him a story about a TV set and how it causes misery to its various owners.

An interesting minor Ealing comedy about the then very real threat of television on cinema, as cinema itself had done previously with the theatre. It's patchy, but also highly enjoyable. The film is peppered with well known names in this otherwise very topical film. Holloway of course appears in a couple of roles, but his voice as Lucifer was dubbed by Geoffrey Keen. Based off a play by Arnold Ridley, the future Private Godfrey in 'Dad's Army'.

Good black and white film from 1953 when television came out i was aged three at the time all goes to show how we all love TV. Now it has become part of our life style interesting formula enjoyed watching the film.

Another in a long line of great black and white British films of the 1950's. When Mr Pedelty (Joseph Tomelty) leaves his firm, he is given a TV set as a retirement present. At first he enjoys all the attention from his neighbours,but soon the attraction wears off, and he sells it on to the young married couple (Jack Watling and Peggy Cummins) living in the flat above him. They soon encounter the same problems,and again the set is passed on to several different charatures all with the same results. A very enjoyable story with a strong cast including Kay Kendall, Barbara Murray, and as the pantomime devil Stanley Holloway.

Very good film from 1953 when I was three interesting premise i enjoyed the acting and also in black and white very atmospheric. Nice to see old films occasionally.

This film resonated with me being born in 1946 whose family first had a Murphy t.v.set in 1954 with its single BBC channel.Previously, my father had to drive us to his sister's house she shared with my paternal grandmother whose family already had bought a TV in 1953 on which we all saw the Queen's coronation that year.In the early part of 1954 we too had a roomful of neighbours & friends who did not possess a t.v. but who wished to view the novelty of watching t.v.

London Live t.v. channel in the London area where I live are currently transmitting a collection of Ealing films mainly from the 40s & 50s and although I watch new ones whenever possible, "Meet Mr. Lucifer" had passed me by previously.This film had a galaxy of well known film stars which you can glean from the full cast list on IMDb.com.My favourite was seeing the late Kay Kendall playing "Miss Lonely Hearts Club" although I suspect it was not her voice that was dubbed onto the soundtrack.Very enjoyable I rated it 7/10.