After purring along for half a decade in a series of charmingly subversion British comedies for Ealing Studios (KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS/’49 to THE LADYKILLERS/’55), Alec Guinness reached an entirely different level of international stardom with THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI/’57. But he had one more Ealing comedy left to him in this modest, winning fable, loaded with Ealing Studio regulars in front & behind the camera. Guinness plays a inveterately seasick Captain from a Navy legacy family who finds the perfect ‘ship’ to command when he buys a seaside amusement pier which he registers as a foreign ship to avoid various town restrictions. Making a quick success of the long dilapidated structure, he’s now attacked by greedy town councilmen eager to tear it down for development and personal gain. And while the film’s delights run a bit shy of the best Ealing/Guinness pics, that’s no reason not to enjoy the real pleasures hiding here in plain sight. And such a handsome film under Douglas Slocombe’s camera, with director Charles Frend letting the gags rise to their natural level of buoyancy, much helped by a remarkably deep lineup of classic Brit supporting players. The sort of civilized film entertainment a generation once took for granted. Now, it’s treats!
DOUBLE-BILL: Less known than the Ealing Comedies, but coming right in the middle of them, THE PROMOTER/’52 (aka THE CARD) is a particular delight, with Guinness surrounded by Glynis Johns, Valerie Hobson, Petula Clark & Joan Hickson in a period comedy of social mobility.
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