Dishonour Bright

"Dishonour Bright" is an early British comedy packed with clever, witty dialog and much sexual innuendo. Tom Walls is the masterful purveyor of most of both as lead actor and director. Only here, the "innuendo" is as much fact as it is implied. His character, Stephen Champion, has libertine views and values which he avows in court, yet his actions remain honorable, if somewhat flirtatious.

Walls was known for his satire and matter-of-fact delivery on stage that could bring down the house in the dozen Aldwych farces that he produced and starred in. He carried that persona into films he began making rather late in his career - in 1930 at age 47. Only in his dramatic roles does Walls change from the self-assured, confident and easy-going character of wit and wisdom.

The rest of the cast in this film are all good. The most recognizable of them to movie mavens on both sides of the pond will be Eugene Pallette as Busby, George Sanders as Lisle, and Cecil Parker as Vincent Crane. But the wit and humor of "Dishonour Bright" are all Tom Walls' show.

This is a somewhat sophisticated comedy, and probably considered a little racy for its day. But, it's well done and filled with much humor. The fast action film followers of today may not be able to sit still for it, but people who like clever comedy and old films should enjoy this film. Here are some favorite lines.

Vincent Crane, "From your previous reply, I gather that you regard all women not only as potential, but willing victims." Stephen Champion, "No, how can a woman be a victim if she's willing?"

Stella Crane, "Candid's sort of an unusual virtue." Stephen Champion, "Oh, even my virtues are unusual."

Stephen Champion, "Then let's be perfectly honest with each other." Stella Crane, "Oh, good heavens, no. No respectable person's ever quite honest." Champion, "Oh, and no honest person is ever quite respectable." Stella Crane, "If you're respectable, you'll stop talking to me and go on." Champion, "And if I'm honest, I'll stay. Which would you rather I were?"

Stephen Champion, "Yes, darling, you always say the right thing -- even if you say it in the wrong way."

Tom Wallis (Champion) is a charming cad who loves women. He can't help himself and this film follows his antics.

The film scores points for the dialogue and the blunt way in which Wallis delivers his lines. It's very straight-talking and Wallis manages to keep a self-assured charm whilst delivering his cheeky lines. Other than this, the film can get a bit boring and confusing. However, my confusion may be due to the fact that I drifted off several times. This was partly because the film lost my interest and partly because I was experiencing a lasagne comedown and starting to tire.

Basil Radford (Henry) turns up as the brother of Wallis and affects a very annoying giggle and George Sanders (Lisle) is also in this one playing his usual self. You might not realize it is him with his pencil thin moustache but his voice gives him away immediately. Not sure Wallis would be able to knock him out, though, in what is a rather unlikely outcome to a confrontation between the two.

The film is a bit boring but Tom Wallis definitely comes across as an icon - a legend with the women. A good role model.

This is a pretty embarrassing failure. An attempt to make a Hollywood style romantic comedy in England. Tom Walls made this picture himself starring himself as a man totally irresistible to women - hmm?

Half way through I had to google this to confirm that it was indeed meant to be a comedy - you'd never guess. I'm a big fan of 1930s English comedies but this one is awful.

They hired space at Korda's studio to make this so it does actually look really good and professional but that's about all you can say about this which is positive. Tom Wall was a very funny character actor who had been in some very funny, very silly farces. He was marvellous in those but as a 'serious' actor albeit in an alleged comedy, he was as atrocious as he was a director.

He also looks about a hundred years old and yet he's meant to be God's gift to women. The word delusional springs to mind. Betty Stockfeld and Diana Churchill who are besotted with his dazzling good looks are just as unbelievable. Cecil Parker does his typical one dimensional upper crust caricature and Eugene Pallette, straight after filming MY MAN GODFREY clearly must have been kidnapped and forced to do this. His presence doesn't enhance it (especially with Tom Wall's flaccid direction) but makes you think how much better this would have been had it been made by a Hollywood studio or even here by Gaumont-British or Korda.

Some old films deserve to be lost films.

This movie is directed by Walls and written by Ben Travers, a cohort from Walls' Aldwych Farces days -- in fact, this may be based upon one of them. Walls is possessed of the twin sins of kindness and candor. This means he winds up being the co-respondent in divorce cases. He marries one of the divorcees, Diana Churchill, not because it's the right thing to do, but because he loves her, and they are off on their honeymoon in Switzerland, where they run across Betty Stockfeld. She's the wife of Cecil Parker, the divorce attorney who got Walls to pay five thousand pounds in damages in Miss Churchill's divorce. She was also the only person in court who smiled at him when he was being candid.

Miss Stockfeld is lured away from the hotel by George Sanders, who is playing, well, George Sanders. He's working with Eugene Palette in blackmailing wives. Walls knocks down Sanders and scares him off, but Palette has Miss Stockfeld's brooch and wants to be paid off. So they all go to Paris, where Cecil Parker turns up....

In general, I find Mr. Walls a capable but low-key performer. Here, it works very well for his nonchalant observations on humanity. There's a lot of wit in the lines and some real human emotion. It's one I can really recommend.

Does honesty about your faults and normal human desires make you respectable or dis-respectable? Is it possible to feel attraction, but not act on it? This film has the trappings of fun frivolity: disarmingly candid and confident leading man, glamorous clothes, gorgeous leading lady, contrived situations, international travel. But its light touch gets a tad deeper than you'd expect it to. Interesting to watch understated sexiness and to see where the plot goes.

Apart from George Sanders as an apprentice cad/con artist, I'd never heard of any of the cast. All were good.

The main characters' exchange about honesty and respectability, alluded to above, is worth watching for. If you're used to Hollywood films, this English piece could be a refreshing change -- or a disappointment to you.