Time Flies

Director Forde was a leading figure in British film-making of the 1930s and 1940s, helming two classic and influential 'engine' thrillers i.e. THE GHOST TRAIN (1931; which is now apparently lost but which he remade 10 years later!) and ROME EXPRESS (1932), as well as star vehicles for many a comedian (such as Jack Hulbert, The Crazy Gang and Arthur Askey). This, then, is the fourth film of his I have checked out (besides owning 15{!} more that are still unwatched) and it follows in the latter vein i.e. starring now-forgotten radio comic Tommy Handley.

The film is chiefly valuable for its deft mish-mash of several genres: for instance, the titular epithet (which turns up so often and so casually in our daily conversation) is approached here on a literal plane by having our four protagonists dodging pursuit by literally taking flight in both space and time via a ball-shaped metal craft! The time machine (invented by distinguished character actor Felix Aylmer) – perhaps the very first of its kind to be seen in movies! – strands its occupants in 16th century England (despite its pedigree, the present-day scenes are supposedly set in New York!) and, as was the case with the same year's similarly-themed FIDDLERS THREE, the heroes try to use the stuff they learned from history-books to their advantage: however, the locals do not take kindly to their prophesying The Great London Fire of 1666 and, even less appreciated are their foretelling of Queen Elizabeth I's perennial spinsterhood and the fact that her family's hated relatives, the Stuarts, will thus succeed her!; incidentally, apart from her, we also get to meet Walter Raleigh (not yet knighted, he is surprised when addressed as such!), William Shakespeare (having trouble writing the love scenes in "Romeo & Juliet", the spirited heroine – who, early on, is surprisingly shown in her underwear – 'suggests' a few of the play's most-quoted lines!) and the famous duo of John Smith (played by the odd-looking Roy Emerton from the same year's Shakespearean adaptation of HENRY V!) and Pocahontas.

However, the film is obviously also a musical comedy (this being still wartime): while the former is first presented conventionally via an on-stage revue number, it is eventually incorporated into the narrative when the protagonists are about to be executed and they buy some time for themselves by bursting into an impromptu performance! As for the comedy, the nominal star is a scoundrel in the Will Hay mould (incidentally, his two frequent sparring partners Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt also turn up here!); he is best-known for IT'S THAT MAN AGAIN (1942), from the same director, and which was essentially a transcript of his popular radio show – and, even if nowhere near as endearing as Hay, he still manages a reasonable amount of funny quips and, memorably, instigates a scene in which America is claimed in the name of Britain and in the presence of the Queen three times in a row!

When finally going back to the present, the time machine misses the mark by a few hours so that the characters vanish immediately after landing since these were not supposed to be anywhere near the contraption at the appointed time! By the way, another novelty they adopt to astound the people of this by-gone era is a camera which allows their escape from jail by projecting footage of themselves on the walls, and which then has the suspicious guards befuddled by chasing what appears to be mere shadows! Incidentally, though I watched the film as part of my ongoing Easter epic marathon, this aspect comes through mainly in the period evocation rather than with any overt spectacle (even if the whole concept is decidedly elaborate at that)...

I've always enjoyed this Tommy Handley outing, in the year of grace 1943 he was at the height of his ITMA popularity. It remains a rather bizarre film to have been made during WW2, but of course would have served a purpose as a morale booster as well as being simply simple fun.

In modern Manhattan Tommy sponsors Professor Felix Aylmer's Time Ball, a huge silver ball/ space-time -ship, and eventually they, Evelyn Dall and George Moon end up in Elizabethan England - to absolutely everyone's consternation. They have some hilarious escapades, heavy with deliberate anachronisms, but it's Tommy's film - without his incessant witticisms it would have been a pretty poor show. Sometimes it falls flat, other times it's pure genius at work - at a tense life or death fraught moment he suddenly worries about having left the rice pudding "on". The scene where the four of them escape from prison from under Really Raleigh's nose - and how! - is breathtaking stuff for 1943.

To most people it's probably dated badly, but to me the salvageable bits are a treasure, and the hokey bits bearable.

A quirky attempt at science fiction by Gainsborough Pictures. The mind boggles at what Goebbels must have made of this piece of fanciful wartime escapism if he ever saw it!

A zany time travel comedy that begins and ends in New York (hence the 'topical' jokes about Roosevelt and Walter Winchell) concerning a time machine that takes Tommy Handley back to the court of Queen Elizabeth; like a 'Dr Who' adventure played for laughs.

Referred to by it's inventor Felix Aylmer as 'The Time Ball', the time machine itself - with the possible exception of marking Graham Moffatt & Moore Marriott's final screen appearance together - is the most memorable aspect of the film (presumably the work of veteran art director John Bryan), whose equivalent it functions as of the Tardis. Resembling a flying bathysphere; the few effects shots of it in flight being obviously cheap but nevertheless satisfying.

Time travel comes about unexpectedly for Tommy, Susie, Bill and the Professor. The Prof. has invented this "timeball" which is like an earlier model of the car from Back To The Future. He's showing Susie the ins and outs of it, not worrying about hitting all the buttons because it won't work unless the trapdoor is shut. Thing is, Bill and Tommy, on the run from some cops, have climbed into the giant sphere to hide, and shut the door after them! So they go whizzing up a million miles, Susie slams a lever accidentally, they all get knocked out due to lack of oxygen, and when they awake, it's in 16th century England.

Tommy is throwing jokes over his shoulder at every opportunity, this starts off as funny but soon wears very thin. He's up to his neck in trouble, teaching the Queen how to gamble and then pretending he owns America and selling off blocks of land to the townsfolk and noblemen. The Prof is all very serious and ends up being arrested when he comments on how "Queen Bess" died - of course, this is the time when she is still holding court. Bill bumbles around a lot. It's Susie who has the most fun. She's got a voice like Ginger Rogers, and twice as much energy as Betty Hutton, and is hilarious to watch, whether trying to hail a cab (in 16th century London!), or prompting Shakespeare with lines from Romeo & Juliet, dressing up as a man, and singing any number of lively songs to buy a little time before they are all drawn and quartered.

Very, very weird. But still quite enjoyable. 8/10.

The professor (Felix Aylmer) is showing Susie (Evelyn Dall) around his time machine when it accidentally takes off with Tommy (Tommy Handley) and Bill (George Moon) also on board. They are transported to Elizabethan England where they come across Walter Raleigh, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth 1, Captain John Smith and Pocohontas. Will our time travellers return?

The film has genuinely funny moments, eg, Dall feeding Shakespeare with his lines, and entertaining dialogue, eg, Handley calling someone a "tosspot". However, the film also has tedious sections which drag, eg, the escape sequence at the end where the time machine is on the bonfire. The music sections are pleasant but forgettable and Evelyn Dall comes across as the best character. Watch for an amusing portrayal of Pocohontas from Iris Lang - she can outdrink Oliver Reed. Overall, it's an OK film but it is made in that British silly way where the comedy relies on music-hall style one-liners and you know that no-one is ever in danger of any kind.