Bell-Bottom George

George (George Formby) is a NAAFI waiter who is desperate to join the Royal Navy after several rejections on medical grounds. He dresses up in his room mate's (Charles Farrell) navy uniform and is mistaken for a rating which he plays along and in the process unwittingly stumbles upon a nest of spies.

A later Formby vehicle and his last propaganda film made inbetween his wartime ENSA concert tours around Europe and North Africa, the film is actually a re-working of the better I SEE AIR (1938), making it a little it's all been done before, even by the star himself.

He does get to sing a couple of songs including 'Swim Little Fish' and 'It Serves You Right' which bizarrely got George into trouble for being deemed anti-war effort.

Below-par comedy from George Formby designed to provide war-weary audiences with some light relief. He's a waiter who gets the chance to realise his dream of being a sailor when he swaps clothes with his sailor friend. Formby's comical songs are ok, but too many of the jokes and comic situations fall flat.

George is an unwilling civilian during the war. When an enlisted friend switches clothes with him in order to go to a party, George finds himself mistakenly pressed into the navy, where he gets involved with pretty Ann Firth and caught up in a subplot involving German spies.

Varnel directed the last nine of George Formby's movies, and the collaboration shows its strains here. George's persona was that of the well-meaning, lower-class 'cheeky chappie' who seizes his infrequent, small opportunities and finally prevails, pausing every now and then to sing a song, accompanying himself on his ukulele -- actually an alto banjo. Varnel's specialty was as director of heartless farces with the Crazy Gang and the incomparable Will Hay. The result is a coarsening of George's character. Although Formby pulls it off, his character has lost some of his charm.

This was in the middle of Formby's Columbia period, all seven of them produced and directed by Frenchman Marcel Varnel as wartime flag-wavers for Britain's no.1 box office star. It was also (by the shortest of heads) the longest Formby film, and it shows in places – it didn't need padding out and yet it was, even to the very end.

George is a barman at the Senior Service Club, wants to get into the Navy and eventually gets mistakenly enrolled under the name of his mate Jim Benson. Whilst unsuccessfully trying to get out before he's found out he sings a few songs – Swim, little fish (in his bedroom), It serves you right (in the "B" Mess), If I had a girl like you (in the Sea Horse Restaurant), and Bell-bottom George (at the BBC) – falls in love and uncovers a nest of Quislings trying to blow up a Navy ship. George is George of course, his girl was the mysterious Anne Firth with the startling smile, and the film bristles with familiar faces for those of us who like this sort of thing. If they could all come back they'd have their work cut out for them with the number of Quislings at work today!

Not his best film or music, but even with the padding and plenty of corn I enjoy watching this one every time I trot it out. If you watched it all and didn't like it it jolly well serves you right!

George Hoy Booth, married and carried a ukulele and put on a DJ and so became the star we should all know? Well done Mrs F.

He's a fine actor when in the mood to sing and entertain. He joined up ENSA in WW2 did George Formby (Jnr.) and was used to entertain and motivate the troops. The film an appropriate vehicle for his know skills? Certainly.

It is a period piece to be watched by fans or those still wondering how the hell the Germans lost the war? The spirit of Britishness and the stiff upper lip is all there. Try watching it, even a darling dog helps betray some dodgy characters. probably the doggie carries the film!

Our late and great parents stoicism and indomitable spirit is there to see. That they found a cure for depression of war and staving to death by laughing in the face of Lord Haw Haw et al.

George Formby, Norman Wisdom, Benny Hill - we British have been blessed!

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