The Rainbow Jacket

This is a fine little Ealing film from the great Basil Dearden - lots of brilliant outdoor shots of various race courses around southern England; really captures the colour and excitement of racing (I don't even like racing or gambling on horses). Okay, some of the racing shots are obviously shot in some empty field somewhere and cut together with racing footage but the effect is good. Great shots of Brentford and west London and some of the main line train stations. There's the Griffin Pub in Brentford (right near the football ground, incidentally) and an incredibly gruff, working class area that is now for the rich only. That's the great thing about these Ealing films - they all give you an amazing insight into a society that has changed so much in just 50 years.

Simple but effective script from Tibby Clarke, too.

if you enjoy horse racing and all that goes with it.If like me you find it a complete bore don't waste your time with this film.The only good thing about it is the colour cinematography.The story is full of clichés and it is surprising to realise that the great T.E.B.Clarke was the scriptwriter.I have to say that after a relatively short period of time I pulled up lame as I was clearly unable to last the course and was unwilling to risk a stewards enquiry.All the usual characters were to be seen such as Robert Morely and Wilfred Hyde White.However by this time Ealing was starting to run out of steam and more importantly money.It only had 2 years left before it was sold to BBC for television productions.You might call that a lame finish.

I quite enjoyed this slightly over-long tale of a young, aspiring jockey. There isn't much about the nags that "Georgie" (Fella Edmonds) doesn't know and he yearns to get a race. That might just prove possible when he encounters disgraced former champion "Sam" (Bill Owen) at a meeting where he successfully calls the result. Next thing, he's got a job as a stable boy where he could get a ride for the wealthy "Mr. Logan" (Robert Morley). He is a loyal young man who really only wants to help his mother (Kay Walsh) and now, to repay his mentor. It's the latter man who might put a spanner in his works, though - he has got into some trouble and now needs a "favour" from his young protegée. Just managing to get away with that, we just know there will be more unscrupulousness to come - but maybe, just maybe, "Sam" might just grow a pair and save the young man from having to follow in his inauspicious footsteps? Basil Dearden has assembled a solid cast here with an on-form Morley, Wilfrid Hyde-White very much playing to type and a few regulars like Sid James and Michael Trubshawe in there too. Edmonds does fine as the engaging and honourable young lad and by the conclusion, I suspect everyone wanted a few quid on his horse. Sure, it's all a bit predictable but so many of these films were just designed to take our attention from the post-war ravages that still dogged most of daily life in Britain. This one does that quite engagingly and is worth a watch.

Having waited over 20 years to see The Rainbow Jacket, I was not disappointed. As a racing afficiando and a stickler for detail, I have found most films on the subject somewhat toe curling. The Rainbow Jacket is totally faithful to it's subject. As the story unfolds we are told which racecourse the action is to take place at, in each case we see exactly that course. In many racing films, some factual and historical, the action edits together scenes from several venues. Imagine a film about a Grand National winner showing horses going round the paddock at Epsom - it happens, but not in the Rainbow Jacket. Bill Owen is in top form as Sam. Fella Edmonds plays the up and coming apprentice jockey with wide eyed charm, Robert Morley adds the comedy with his usual aplomb while no racing film of that era would have been complete without Wilfred Hyde White. Look out for a wonderful performance from Ronald Ward as the blackmailer. Of the other characters, Charles Victor amuses as the head lad,Mr Boss his performance is reminiscent of Harry Enfield's 'You don't wanna do that'character. All this is rounded off by appearances by Sid James as the proprieter of a mobile canteen and a brief appearance of that grand old stalwart of the era of classic British movies - Sam Kydd.

The film was criticised in it's day for a corny plot and wooden action shots. Admittedly the plot is a little weak but racing is a notoriously difficult subject on which to add a twist as the outcome of races tend to be a little inevitable. The close up action shots using wooden horses are a little ridiculous but the wide shots are realistic and beautifully photographed at realistic racing pace. So often the action is unnecessarily accelerated. The shots of the early morning gallops really do capture the atmosphere of the wide open space of Newmarket Heath. If you don't like racing you can just wallow in the company of some marvellous British stalwarts at the top of their form in yet another winner from the Ealing Studios.

I love horses and the racing world and so that is a bonus but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The characters were believable and likeable with the backdrop and humour of the stable lads amusing. I read that this was based on a true story and it seems probable - just the sort of thing of that era. Interesting from a social history point of view. It was fun to see Sid James and Wilfred Hyde White in the cameo roles. OK the close up of the riders was a bit unconvincing but it is a film of it's time and I'm rating it 8. I find it strange that one of the two lead actors, Fella Edmonds as the young jockey, scarcely gets a mention.