Under a Cloud

Character actor Edward Rigby is promoted to star in this garrulous but graceful quota quickie in which the cast line up and obediently recite their dialogue.

The eighties were now forty years ago (although it didn't seem like that at the time), and the way the cinema changed in such a short time between the wars is demonstrated by the presence in elegant thirties attire of both silent star Hilda Bayley and ingenue Betty Anne Davies as her daughter (actually described by Peter Gawthorne at one point as "the child"). The latter is more familiar today in intense middle-aged character roles in films like 'The History of Mr Polly' and 'The Belles of St Trinian's' and died younger than Bayley was here.

Under a Cloud is a quota quickie. Edward Rigby plays Jimmy Forbes who returns to England after fleeing to Australia for twenty years to escape from the police. On a ship bound to England we see him fleece people at find the lady.

Forbes reacquaints with his wife who he left behind who has become well to do and her children have grown up not knowing about him. He hangs around taking money from all and sundry and seeing what his grown up offspring are up to.

When one of his children is arrested for murder Forbes knows he must do something to get him out. The film has a lot of interior sets, lots of talking but Rigby is a bright spark.

The film is perfect snapshot of 1930 middleclass life. Dressing for dinner, false accents, wet streets, Brylcreamed hair. Irritating old man turns up at estranged wife's house and proceeds to show himself boorish and thoroughly irritating. If I'd been the wife I'd have pulled the big old Webley pistol from the rococo dsk and blown his idiotic brains out. Watch it if you are interested in 1930 UpstairDownstairs without al the staff.

Another British B-picture from director/producer George King, a man responsible for churning out dozens of quota quickies during his long career. His work with barnstorming actor Tod Slaughter (SWEENEY TODD in particular) may be his best, but he still directed many others of interest.

UNDER A CLOUD is such a film. It's no masterpiece, clearly hampered by a low budget and an unfamiliar cast, but it's watchable enough for fans of this era. The main character, played by the delightful Edward Rigby, is an elderly small-time crook who we are introduced to as he makes cash from card tricks on board a ship bound for England.

Rigby is reintroduced to his grown-up family after spending 20 years or so in Australia. He goes incognito and spends his time thieving and generally making a nuisance of himself, but a murder plot soon allows him to show his true colours. Aside from Rigby's colourful protagonist, this is a fairly ordinary production, but it moves along at a fair old clip. I was surprised by the revealing attire worn by one of the principals (Hilda Bayley); the censor must have been sleeping on the job. Still, the comic relief works well and there's plenty of incident, so UNDER A CLOUD is a nicely watchable film.