Just William's Luck | |
---|---|
Directed by | Val Guest |
Written by | Richmal Crompton Val Guest |
Produced by | James A. Carter (as James Carter) |
Starring | William Graham Garry Marsh |
Cinematography | Leslie Rowson (uncredited) |
Edited by | Anne Barker |
Music by | Robert Farnon |
Distributed by | United Artists Corporation |
Release date |
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Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Just William's Luck is a 1947 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham, Garry Marsh and Jane Welsh. [1] [2] It was written by Richmal Crompton and Guest, based on Crompton's Just William series of books. Crompton was impressed with the film[ citation needed ] and wrote a novel Just William's Luck based on the events of the film. The following year a second film, William Comes to Town, was made. [3]
William Brown, leader of his gang, "The Outlaws", while exploring/playing in a "haunted house", stumble across a gang of fur thieves. The children are kidnapped and are bundled into the back of a lorry which drives off. Spotting a large bag of flour, the boys proceed to kick it open. Its contents spill through a gap in the floorboards of the truck's cargo bay. This leaves a trail on the road for the police to follow who ultimately catch and foil the gang of fur robbers. [4]
Val Guest had some troubles working with children but said otherwise production went smoothly and both William films were "very successful." [3]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "William Graham gives an impish and very effective interpretation of Richmal Crompton's lovable brain-child. The individuality and variety promised by other members of the cast is somehow never quite fulfilled, although they each contribute a competent performance. One feels that the action has been deliberately slowed up, possibly with the idea of its being more easily assimilated by children. After the first few sequences, however, the film seems to find its own feet and is very enjoyable fun." [5]
Picturegoer wrote: "Richmal Crompton's William has been rather heavily handled in this first of a new series. The way he rounds up a gang of black marketeers has its amusing moments, but some of the slapstick lacks spontaneity. The quieter moments in the family circle are much more effective. Juveniles, of course, will love it. William Graham is good, but perhaps not quite the ideal William." [6]
Radio Times wrote, "while William Graham captures something of the scruffy boisterousness of Richmal Crompton's timeless comic creation, director Val Guest's screenplay smoothes away the rougher edges to produce a sanitised tale of childhood mayhem, suitable for young eyes. The same paternalism dogged the sequel, William at the Circus." [7]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Quite lively schoolboy romp that could have done with a scruffier William." [8]
Sky Movies wrote, "it's a lively romp with a jolly knockabout climax in a house that William and his gang of `outlaws' are trying to haunt." [9]
Just William is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for numerous television series, films and radio adaptations. Just William is also sometimes used as a title for the series of books as a whole, and is also the name of various television, film and radio adaptations of the books. The William stories first appeared in Home magazine and Happy Mag.
Richmal Crompton Lamburn was a popular English writer, best known for her Just William series of books, humorous short stories, and to a lesser extent adult fiction books.
Val Guest was an English film director and screenwriter. Beginning as a writer of comedy films, he is best known for his work for Hammer, for whom he directed 14 films, and for his science fiction films. He enjoyed a long career in the film industry from the early 1930s until the early 1980s.
Hell Is a City is a 1960 British crime thriller film directed by Val Guest and starring Stanley Baker, John Crawford and Donald Pleasence. It was written by Guest based on the 1954 novel of the same title by Maurice Procter, and made by British studio Hammer Film Productions on location in Manchester. It was partly inspired by the British New Wave films and resembles American film noir.
The Just William series is a sequence of thirty-eight books written by English author Richmal Crompton. The books chronicle the adventures of the unruly schoolboy William Brown.
Just William's Luck (1948) was a novel in the Just William series by Richmal Crompton. The story revolves around the attempts of William Brown and the other Outlaws to get their older brothers married, in order to appropriate wedding presents that they plan to exchange for things of their own desire. After a series of unlikely adventures, the boys serendipitously foil a gang of fur coat smugglers, and receive a reward from the police.
Grand National Night is a 1953 British second feature ('B') thriller film directed by Bob McNaught and starring Nigel Patrick, Moira Lister and Beatrice Campbell. It was produced by George Minter and Phil C. Samuel, and written by Val Valentine and Bob McNaught based on the 1945 play of the same title written by Campbell and Dorothy Christie.
William Comes to Town is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham and Garry Marsh. It was based on the Just William series of novels by Richmal Crompton. It served as a loose sequel to 1947 film Just William's Luck. It is also known by its U.S. alternative title William Goes to the Circus.
The Men of Sherwood Forest is a 1954 British adventure film directed by Val Guest and starring Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore and David King-Wood. It was written by Allan MacKinnon. The score was by Doreen Carwithen. The film follows the exploits of Robin Hood and his followers.
Just William is a 1940 British comedy film directed by Graham Cutts and starring Richard Lupino, Fred Emney and Basil Radford. It is based on the Just William series of books by Richmal Crompton.
Whispering Smith Hits London is a 1952 British second feature ('B') mystery film directed by Francis Searle and starring Richard Carlson, Greta Gynt and Herbert Lom. The screenplay was by John Gilling. It was released in the United States by RKO Pictures.
David Spenser was a British actor, director, producer and writer. Spenser played the title role in a 1948 radio production of Richmal Crompton's Just William, and also appeared in popular films and TV series including Doctor Who. His documentary about Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies won an International Emmy Award. He was the elder brother of actor Jeremy Spenser.
What the Butler Saw is a 1950 British second feature ('B') comedy film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Edward Rigby, Henry Mollison and Mercy Haystead. The screenplay was by A.R. Rawlinson and E. J. Mason, from an original story by Roger and Donald Good. It was made by Hammer Films.
Trouble with Eve is a 1960 British second feature comedy film directed by Francis Searle and starring Hy Hazell, Sally Smith, Robert Urquhart and Garry Marsh. The screenplay was by Brock Williams based on the 1953 play Widows are Dangerous by June Garland. It was shot at Walton Studios. The film was released in the U.S. in 1964 as In Trouble With Eve.
There Goes Susie is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Victor Hanbury and John Stafford and starring Gene Gerrard, Wendy Barrie, and Zelma O'Neal. Written by Charlie Roellinghoff and Hans Jacoby, it was made by British International Pictures at Elstree Studios. It is a remake of the 1933 German film Marion, That's Not Nice. An Italian version, Model Wanted (1933), was also made.
Hangman's Wharf is a 1950 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Cecil H. Williamson and starring John Witty, Genine Graham and Campbell Singer. It was written by John Beldon and Williamson based on Beldon's 1948 BBC radio serial Hangman's Wharf.
Three Sundays to Live is a low budget 1957 second feature ('B')} film noir British film directed by Ernest Morris and starring Kieron Moore and Jane Griffiths. It was written by Brian Clemens and produced by The Danzigers.
Meet Simon Cherry is a 1949 British second feature ('B') mystery film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Hugh Moxey. The screenplay was by Grayson and A. R. Rawlinson based on the BBC radio series Meet the Rev by Gale Pedrick, featuring the crime solving cleric.
Room to Let is a 1950 British second feature ('B') historical thriller film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Jimmy Hanley, Valentine Dyall and Constance Smith. It was adapted by John Gilling and Grayson from the BBC radio play by Margery Allingham, broadcast in 1947.
13 East Street is a 1952 British second feature ('B') crime thriller film directed by Robert S. Baker and starring Patrick Holt, Sandra Dorne and Sonia Holm. It was written by John Gilling, Carl Nystrom and Baker and produced by Tempean Films.