William Comes to Town

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William Comes to Town
"William Comes to Town" (1948).jpg
U.S. lobby card
Directed by Val Guest
Written by Richmal Crompton
Val Guest
StarringWilliam Graham
Garry Marsh
Jane Welsh
CinematographyBert Mason
Edited byCarmen Beliaeff
Music by Robert Farnon
Distributed by United Artists Corporation
Release date
  • 31 December 1948 (1948-12-31)(London)
Running time
89 minutes
LanguageEnglish

William Comes to Town (also knoiwn as William at the Circus [1] ; U.S. title: William Goes to the Circus [2] [3] ) is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham and Garry Marsh. [1] [4] It was written by Richmal Crompton and Guest based on the Just William series of novels by Crompton.

Contents

Plot

William Brown and his gang the Outlaws visit the Prime Minister in Downing Street to demand shorter school hours and better pay for kids. The newspaper publicity caused by their visit lands William and his friends in trouble with their parents. William almost ruins his chances of going to the circus (his parents made him promise to stay out of trouble), but somehow he finally finds his way there.

Cast

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Slightly far-fetched, this film will be appreciated mainly by juvenile audiences. William Graham is convincing as William, and he is well supported by the remainder of the cast." [5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Events in the opening reels are somewhat protracted, but the picture provides a wholesome and pleasing domestic atmosphere. The exploitation of an extremely life-like chimpanzee is a bright gag which will not be lost on the legion of William fans, and the several laughable circus turns, elephant and equestrian parades are a fitting climax to a series of schoolboy pranks. The settings of suburban home are modest but adequate, and the photography throughout is very good." [6]

Variety wrote: "Inconsequential story of a schoolboy's adventures which will have seasonal appeal in London, but cannot hope to go beyond the Saturday juve trade in America. ...Story is told in the true William tradition, and some fine shots of the circus provide a pleasing seasonal background. The impish character is again played by William Graham in a manner to please the kids. Garry Marsh and Jane Welsh are his long-suffering parents and a competent east handles the subsidiary characters in a suitable manner." [7]

Val Guest said the film was "very successful." [3]

References

  1. 1 2 "William Comes to Town". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  2. Collins, Fiona; Ridgman, Jeremy (2006). Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media. Peter Lang. pp. 107–108. ISBN   978-3039102556.
  3. 1 2 Fowler, Roy (1988). "Interview with Val Guest". British Entertainment History Project.
  4. "William Comes to Town". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012.
  5. "William Comes to Town". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 16 (181): 22. 1 January 1949. ProQuest   1305806852.
  6. "William Comes to Town". Kine Weekly . 382 (2171): 22. 9 December 1948. ProQuest   2826314735.
  7. "William Comes to Town". Variety . 173 (5): 8. 12 January 1949. ProQuest   1285951946.