Kampf ums Geld

This is one of the harder reviews I've ever done. In the past, I have loved the Ealing Studios films I have seen. I also love the time I have spent in Wales--it's a charming and wonderful land. So I really expected to love A RUN FOR YOUR MONEY. Oddly, however, I liked it only mildly, though I wasn't totally sure why. So, instead of writing my review right away like I usually do, I decided to think about it for a while...mull it over in my head.

Now that some time has passed, I think the biggest reason I didn't love the film was that my expectations are just too high. Having seen films like PASSPORT TO PIMLICO and THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT (among many others), I expected the same magic. This really isn't 100% fair--as the Ealing people can't be expected to reprise the same level of success in every film. Another reason, and this one I think they could help, was that in many ways you never really get to know the characters that well. Too often, they are running about or having adventures and I felt that I wanted more. Finally, the whole idea of a country person going to the big city and having problems with the fast-paced city dwellers has been done many times before and the idea wasn't 100% original.

Still, there is a lot to like. Just from a historical standpoint, this is a glimpse at Welsh life that simply doesn't exist any more, now that their economy is no longer based on coal and slate mining. Also, while not necessarily a great film, it is very pleasant and worth watching. So, provided you don't set your expectations too high, then it's a very good film.

This story is about two Welsh brothers who are miners from an unpronounceable place in Wales who win a contest to go to London to see a rugby match. Part of the winnings are 200 pounds, a considerable sum in those days. The pair arrive, completely miss the otherwise disinterested gardening columnist asked to give them the prize (a great Alec Guiness) and go to the city. They meet up with Jo (the beautiful Moira Lister) and it turns out she is a scam artist and wants the money, so she becomes closer to the naive Dai. The brothers end up losing each other, with Twm meeting up with an old friend from their town. Hee helps him get back his pawned harp. The film goes from there, the brothers trying to find each other, Jo trying to get the 200 pounds and the columnist trying to endure this, being clearly out of his element. This is a very good film, comic, dramatic and even touching. The last half hour is excellent as you see how the story unfolds. If you like British film, especially classic British film, I highly recommend this.

This is a wonderful early post-war example of what would become staple 1950s comedies - one of the first from Ealing Studios - it has an innocence and freshness, as well as genuine laughs and charm, that hold up well nearly 70 years later.

Two Welsh miners win the Daily Echo's prize for the most productive miners in Britain and head up to London to collect the enormous sum of £200 - as innocents in London they get separated and the one meets a gorgeous girl on the make, and the other a broken-down Welsh harpist. They are all chased by a bemused Alec Guinness as the gardening correspondent out of his métier.

All in all this foreshadows the great comedies of the 1950 - but it is a very lovely example of the genre - full of joy, energy, even some farce, and lots of very beautiful music - this is one to enjoy with a nice cup of tea and a roaring fire!

Two brothers, country-boy Welsh miners, come to London for a day to collect a prize won and to see a football match. They are separated when they arrive and spend the rest of the film trying to find each other. One, a handsome, naive lad (of the sort Bill Travers played in WEE GEORDIE) is alternately taken in tow by Alec Guinness, an effeminate garden-column writer, and by Moira Lister, a larcenous blonde. The other meets up with old-friend, street-singer Hugh Griffith, and they get wildly drunk. The pacing is superb, and the style is realistic. There is a large variety of amusing characters, the most memorable of which is Joyce Grenfell in a fancy dress shop. It's all extremely cleverly done, and filled with well-timed laughs. You don't see the laughs coming; in that sense they're never predictable. Nor are they easy, lazy laughs; they're very deftly worked out. Yet it doesn't go beyond that consummate skill. Halliwell, as usual, puts it very well; "with characterizations as excellent as they are expected." Somehow, the film isn't quite as pleasing as should be. This is largely because of the naive lad's relationship to the con-girl; one has to wonder about the worth of a man who'd completely forget his fiancé in a day, and Lister's weak performance doesn't give the conceit any help. Also, the level of farce is occasionally pushed beyond its limits. It's OK that the brothers keep missing each other like people slipping in and out of doors in a stage farce, but for Griffith and the brother he's with to literally pop in and out of the doors of the underground train, and stretch the routine to the limit, seems a bit much. But one feels a bit bad complaining about the weaknesses of the film, because it is very entertaining, and a skillfully made comedy.

Anything from Ealing Studios promises a lot from the get go. Their films tend to be funny (hilarious at their best), charming and well made with great actors with a gift for comic timing. Am especially fond of 'The Ladykillers', 'The Man in the White Suit', 'The Lavender Hill Mob' and my favourite 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'. So expected quite a lot from 'A Run for Your Money'.

Part of me couldn't help feeling a little disappointed though watching 'A Run for Your Money', perhaps from somewhat understandably expecting too much (seriously any Ealing Studios film featuring or starring Alec Guinness, evidenced by his tour-De-force acting in 'Kind Hearts and Coronets', sounds like a recipe for greatness). Despite how that sounds, 'A Run for Your Money' was actually still enjoyable with reservations, definitely not a film to avoid. It's just hard not to compare it against Ealing's other films because their best films are so wonderful and considered classics for good reason.

Did find that the Donald Houston/Moira Lister subplot was not always very interesting, tending to test my patience and be on the slow and saccharine side. Lister came over as somewhat anaemic so that further brought it down.

Some of the more farcical humour came over as a little over-played and repetitive, parts coming over as on the cheap side.

However, 'A Run for Your Money' is well made with handsome sets and photography particularly. It's whimiscally and lushly scored and Charles Frend keeps much of the film moving along nicely. The script has a nice playful wit and there is immense charm throughout, being half-Welsh it was hard not to feel nostalgic. Despite not caring for the Houston and Lister subplot, the Meredith Edwards and Hugh Griffith one was more interesting and it was amusing generally.

Lister aside, the performances are fine, comic timing not flagging and there is likeability. Guinness was never less than reliable and he was fun to watch even though he was deserving of more to do.

In summary, nice though considering it was an Ealing Studios film part of me expected more. 7/10 Bethany Cox