Save a Little Sunshine
| Save a Little Sunshine | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dave Willis, Annabel Maule & Marian Dawson | |
| Directed by | Norman Lee |
| Produced by | Warwick Ward |
| Written by |
Victor Kendall Gilbert Gunn Vernon Clancey |
| Based on | the play Lights Out at Eleven by W. Armitage Owen [1] |
| Starring |
Dave Willis Pat Kirkwood Tommy Trinder |
| Music by |
John Reynders Noel Gay |
| Cinematography | Ernest Palmer |
| Edited by | E. Richards |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Pathé Pictures International |
Release dates | October 1938 |
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Save a Little Sunshine is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Norman Lee and starring Dave Willis, Pat Kirkwood and Tommy Trinder.[2][3]
Production
The film was based on the play Lights Out at Eleven by Armitage Owen. It was made by Welwyn Studios, an affiliate of ABC Pictures, at their Welwyn Garden City Studio. The songs "Save a Little Sunshine" and "Nothing Can Worry Me Now" were composed by Noel Gay. Willis and Kirkwood made a further film together in 1939 - Me and My Pal, also at Welwyn.
Plot
After he is sacked from his job, Dave Smalley buys a share in a hotel, but has to resort to working there when all other financial schemes fail. His girlfriend Pat however, comes up with the idea of turning the property into a smart restaurant, and business takes off beyond all expectation.
Cast
- Dave Willis - Dave Smalley
- Pat Kirkwood - Pat
- Tommy Trinder - Will
- Max Wall - Walter
- Peggy Novak - Clara Timpson
- Roger Maxwell - Hector Stanley
- Ruth Dunning - Miss Dickson
- Marian Dawson - Mrs Winterbottom
- Annabel Maule - Marlene
- Annie Esmond - Mrs Melworthy
- Rosemary Scott - Miss Gaythorne
- Charles Lefeaux - Mr Turnopp
- Hal Walters - Stanley's assistant
- Syd Crossley - Auction room attendant
- Aubrey Mallalieu - Museum official
- John Glyn-Jones - Impressionist
- Charles Penrose - Talent scout
- Trefor Jones - Singer
Critical reception
TV Guide called it "a harmless entry which offers nothing of value but a few hummable tunes" ; [4] and Britishpictures.com wrote of Tommy Trinder and Max Wall, "these familiar faces provide a smile or two. Certainly the chief interest of the film is to see Max Wall before he developed his legendary grotesque act (and while he still had a full head of hair)." [5]
References
- ↑ "The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film". google.co.uk.
- ↑ "Save a Little Sunshine (1938)". BFI.
- ↑ Sandra Brennan. "Save a Little Sunshine (1938) - Norman Lee - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ↑ "Save A Little Sunshine". TVGuide.com.
- ↑ David Absalom. "ARCHIVE S - Sa: British films of the 30s, 40s and 50s". britishpictures.com.