Glück muß man haben

Working-class comic (affectionately appointed the Emperor of Lanc) Formby stars in this light-hearted vehicle as the laconic Lancastrian who invests his life savings in a fine cotton spool with which he intends to transform women's undergarments.

The always-affable Formby has his nervous hands well and truly full as he referees the escalating contest between his faithful wife (Bryan) and domineering mother (Mason). The two women engage in churlish antics which risk poor George's cotton dreams coming apart at the seams.

Interesting to see pre-stardom Michael Rennie in a very brief cameo as a salesman whom Formby mistakenly believes is also vying for the rare twine, and Wilfrid Hyde-White as a removalist.

A few witty double entendres and the occasional musical number punctuate an otherwise mild, trademark comedy in which things really 'Turned Out Nice Again' per the Formby formula.

An employee (George Formby) at a cotton factory that produces underwear garments tries to encourage his company to move with the times. A conman (Ronald Ward) tries to fob him off with a supposed fake fabric that turns out to be the real deal.

One of the more intelligently made Formby vehicles and the last one at Ealing Studios before moving to Columbia Pictures, Formby benefits from playing a maturer and less childlike character, very different from most of his other films. There is less slapstick and a greater focus on his domestic life, particularly with his sympathetic wife nicely played by Peggy Bryan, but she is outshone by Eliot Mason as George's mother in one of the best roles of her career playing a dreaded mother in law to Bryan's Peggy. George gets to sing a couple of numbers including 'The Empress of Lancashire' and 'Can't Go Wrong in These'.

George became the top UK box office attraction with Ealing Studios. However this film was his last for Ealing. He signed with Columbia Pictures for more money and the opportunity to produce. In my opinion his Ealing films were far better than those he made for Columbia.

Unlike most of his other films this is based on a stage play. They even have all the actors entering and exiting through french windows which are obviously not the front door.

There is even the typical mother in law.

Interestingly this film,though made in the middle of the war was set in 1936. So obviously a morale booster.

As this is about women's underwear there are obviously lots of double entendres.

A very young Michael Rennie pops up for a couple of lines.

Not George's best work.

Most of George Formby's comedies had the same story arc. First he would accidentally cause trouble (getting a chance to shout his catchphrase "Ooooh, Mother!"). Then he would accidentally solve the problem through his own stupidity, thus getting a chance to grin at the camera and speak his second catchphrase: "Turned out nice again!" ... which is also the title of this film. "Turned Out Nice Again" is an unusual departure from Formby's formula. In this comedy he actually plays a realistic human being, and the comedy is more restrained than usual for him (but still funny). George plays the manager of a textile mill, faced with hard times and a villainous competitor who wants to steal his business. Hoping to find an outlet for his products, George organises an underwear fashion show which is the highlight of the film. George strums his banjo and sings "You Can't Go Wrong with These" from the sidelines while an assortment of female models stroll past the camera, dressed in a dazzling assortment of 1930s female undergarments. If you fancy a look at some old-fashioned directoire knickers, you'll rewind this scene several times. Michael Rennie (pre-Klaatu) plays a small role as a restaurant patron who unintentionally helps the villain in his scheme to cheat George. Rennie is so devastatingly handsome here that his brief appearance throws the whole film off rhythm; movie-goers must have wondered: "Who is that good-looking man?" Wilfrid Hyde-White has a tiny role as one of two men who come to repossess George's fixtures. "Turned Out Nice Again" deserves 6 out of 10.

George Formby was always extremely modest about his talent (at least in public): "I wasn't very good but I had something people seemed to want" he said once.

This film shows a different side to Formby, one that is far above his usual clumsy naive screen character. He is competent and respected at work, he is a married man (albeit with a dragon of a mother who never fails to remind him she was "four and a half hours under chloroform" when he was born), and he is supportive to his family giving his uncle a place to live while he is out of work (we are in 1930's Lancashire). The screenplay gives George a workout in the acting stakes, too. He stands up to his wife, his employer and - eventually - his mother in some highly charged scenes and comes over very well indeed.

It's probably because of the change of pace that this is one of my favourite Formby films. It is still good fun, with plenty of laughs and good songs but the characters and writing are strong, too. It's something of a let-down to go back to usual Formby fare such as "Spare a Copper" and a shame George wasn't allowed to develop this side of his talent in more films.