Sing as You Swing

Sing as You Swing
Directed by	Redd Davis
Written by	Clifford Grey Syd Courtenay
Produced by	Joe Rock
Starring	Charles Clapham Bill Dwyer Claude Dampier Evelyn Dall
Cinematography	Erwin Hillier Jack Parker
Edited by	Sam Simmonds
Music by	Cyril Ray
Production company	Joe Rock Productions
Distributed by	British Independent Exhibitors' Distributors
Release date	7 July 1937 (1937-07-07)
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Sing as You Swing is a 1937 British musical film directed by Redd Davis and starring Charles Clapham, Bill Dwyer and Claude Dampier. It was written by Clifford Grey and Syd Courtenay. It was made as a quota quickie and features turns from a variety of radio and revue stars with little background narrative. ^{[1] [2]}

Cast

• Charles Clapham as himself
• Bill Dwyer as himself
• Claude Dampier as Pomphrey Featherstone-Chaw
• Billie Carlyle as telephone operator
• The Mills Brothers as themselves
• Evelyn Dall as Cora Fane
• Mantovani as himself
• Lu Ann Meredith as Sally Bevan
• Brian Lawrance as Jimmy King
• Carol Chilton as herself
• Maceo Thomas as himself
• Nat Gonella and his Georgians as themselves
• Beryl Orde as herself
• H. F. Maltby as Drake
• Edward Ashley as Harrington
• Rio & Santos as themselves
• Jimmy Godden
• Eric Maturin
• The Sherman Fisher Girls as themselves

Production

The film's sets were designed by the art director George Provis. It was shot at Joe Rock's Elstree Studios.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Variety show with a mere thread of story on which to hang turns by popular radio and variety stars. Clapham and Dwyer are the central figures, while Claude Dampier wanders in and out as a salesman for rat poison. Nat Gonella and his Georgians provide the title song; The Mills Brothers give "Solitude" and "Nagasaki"; Ris and Santos do some brilliant tap-dancing, and Brian Lawrence sings effectively '"The Mountains of Mourne." Beryl Lawrence's impersonations are both clever and funny and any pauses not filled in by Claude Dampier are occupied by Evelyn Dall with red hot rhythm." ^[3]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The story is no better than most to be found in this type of entertainment, but it is good enough to hold the all-star bill together. The show is bright, breezy and attractively mounted. Good two-feature programme booking for the masses and industrial element." ^[4]

Picturegoer wrote: "A film revue, featuring several well-known radio and vaudeville stars. There is a very slight story which binds the turns into some semblance of continuity, but it is really of little account. Clapham and Dwyer and Claude Dampier make the most of thin material so far as the plot is concerned, and the turns are, on the whole, quite good." ^[5]

References

1. "Sing as You Swing". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
2. Chibnall, Steve. (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 291. ISBN   978-1844571550.
3. "Sing as You Swing". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 4 (37): 143. 1 January 1937. ProQuest   1305799124.
4. "Sing as You Swing". Kine Weekly . 245 (1578): 22. 15 July 1937. ProQuest   2338219194.
5. "Sing as You Swing". Picturegoer . 7: 22. 7 January 1938. ProQuest   1771136390.

External links

• Sing as You Swing at IMDb