Calling All Stars (1937 musical)

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Calling All Stars
Calling All Stars.jpg
Directed by Herbert Smith
Written byHerbert Smith
Produced byHerbert Smith
S.W. Smith
Starring
Cinematography George Stretton
Edited byBrereton Porter
Music by Carroll Gibbons
Production
company
Distributed byBritish Lion Film Corporation
Release date
  • March 1937 (1937-03)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
Language English

Calling All Stars is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed and written by Herbert Smith and starring Arthur Askey, Evelyn Dall and Max Bacon. [1] The film is a revue, featuring a number of musical acts playing themselves. It was made at Beaconsfield Studios for release as a quota quickie. [2] The film's art direction was by Norman G. Arnold. [3]

Contents

Plot

After a set of master discs is dropped and destroyed, the recording artists are gathered together to re-record their contributions.

Cast

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Cutting is rather spasmodic and the continual appearances of Flotsam and Jetsam demanded better material; as it is, they are apt to pall. ... The story is undiscernible, but the stars are the attraction." [4]

Variety wrote: "With but the flimsiest excuse to envelope the aggregation, this production is practically a photographed version of the acts offered by a number of pop stars of vaude and radio ... fans of each particular act will lap it up. With so many of the names natives of the U.S., there's no reason why it shouldn't register there, too. But with the general run of picturegoers the lack of a story will militate against its success." [5]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Spasmodically entertaining review." [6]

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References

  1. "Calling All Stars". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  2. Chibnall, Steve. (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 287. ISBN   978-1844571550.
  3. "Calling all Stars (1937)". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021.
  4. "Calling All Stars" . The Monthly Film Bulletin . 4 (37): 141. 1 January 1937 via ProQuest.
  5. "Calling All Stars" . Variety . 126 (1): 15. 17 March 1937 via ProQuest.
  6. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 45. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.