Small Town Story

Canadian Kent Walton returns to England after having failed to establish a professional football presence there. He rooms with George Merritt and his daughter Margaret Harrison and works in Merritt's garage while things develop.

Merritt has a chance to settle up a football club in his town. Someone has died and has left twenty-five thousand pounds to the team, if they can achieve the Third Division within three years. His nephew is the residuary; he figures that Walton can get them into the Third Division, so he has his girlfriend, Walton's wartime love, vamp him into London and the Arsenal.

The back-and-forth takes up the first half of the movie. The second half consists of the crucial match, and the shenanigans intended to keep Walton from playing. The game is narrated by regular F.A. Cup commentator Raymond Glendinning. The game as shown is decent, but to anyone not a soccer fan, it's dull, and to those who know the modern game, small beer compared to the most World Cup matches. For those who can be amused by soccer and a wholesome romantic comedy, it's a decent piece.

The Who have an old song called Pictures Of Lily about a young guy who becomes obsessed with a long dead actress.

In the same way I have been tracking down old British films featuring Susan Shaw.

This film is now avilable on blu ray.

So I bought it and watched it.

I am glad I saw it but it is a historical curiosity with images of old style football grounds and fashions.

It is really not a rediscovered classic.