Spring in Park Lane

This was the most popular movie in Great Britain the year it was released and still holds the record for most tickets sold in Britain by an all-British production. It was so popular that a poll the following year had Miss Neagle the most popular movie star in Britain: the first time in more than a decade the title went to a British subject.

The story, as well as Miss Neagle were crowd-pleasers. It offered to its audience the happy thought that in the post-War era, Park Lane contains rich young ladies who would gladly marry their footmen -- assuming, of course, they look like Michael Wilding and are actually down-on-their-luck aristocrats.

Miss Neagle's wealth comes from her diamond-dealing uncle, Tom Walls, in a fine performance. The rather tepid plot is eked out by two good dance sequences, one song by Miss Neagle, and a subplot about stolen paintings. The mildly titillating main plot is supported by a rather arch air and the charms of the stars: Mr. Wilding is arch and Miss Neagle by the manner in which every scene with her in it is shot to spotlight her. It's clear, as always that the director, Herbert Wilcox loves Miss Neagle; they had been married five years. I suspect cinematographer Mutz Greenbaum felt the same.

"What did you say, Richard?" "What did you say?" So, the leading ladies of "Spring in Park Lane" keep asking Richard. Richard is the new footman for the Howard household. In reality, he is Lord Richard Borechester. But, he's gone underground until he can solve a family crisis. It doesn't take one long to figure this out, so it's not giving any of the plot away.

The "what" that Richard says, that begets these questions throughout the film, is his use of interchangeable words. It's similar to malapropism -- use of a word that sounds like another, in place of the other, so that it's nonsensical or doesn't make sense. Most often those are unintended, so the person comes off as very funny, and possibly naïve or not well read. But in this case, Richard intentionally uses words that he then has to revise in wholly different sentences in order to give an acceptable answer.

The result is a double dose of comedy. First, in the out of place or contentious comment Richard makes, and then in his revised rejoinder. And, with those, the other parties to the comments show appropriate expressions of disbelief, indignity or shock. It's all very hilarious.

Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding are the leads in this upstairs-downstairs plot of a comedy romance. They are a wonderful match and starred together in half a dozen movies. All are very good, but their comedies especially stand out. Most of their pairings involve a couple of songs and/or dance numbers. Neagle and Wilding were highly popular screen stars in the U.K. in the mid-20th century. Wilding was known more in the U.S. around that time as having been the husband of Elizabeth Taylor - the second marriage for both. Unfortunately, most of the British films Wilding and Neagle were in didn't receive wide distribution at the time in the U.S. Both were very talented and likeable performers.

Wilding was something of a combination Danny Kaye and Cary Grant. He could act in a variety of genres but was superb in comedy. He brought an energy and sprightliness to his roles. Again, much like Kaye and Grant. He was quick fire with witty lines, and he could do some funny accents or voice imitations and sounds. Wilding did have one drawback - he sometimes rattled off a line or comment so quickly and almost hushed, that it was hard to hear him. One wonders if that was just a habit that directors couldn't get him to correct. Or, more likely, it was because he ad-libbed some lines, and they couldn't be filmed over with the same initial effect from the rest of the cast.

I don't know if the malaprops in the film come from the source book or from the playwright who wrote the film script. But, it's a very clever and unique method that works so well for this plot and the characters. Malaprops have been used ever since the beginning of sound film. But they have been mostly single instances for comedy. I don't think any other movie has been made that relies on such use of lingo as a huge part of its screenplay. For that reason alone, "Spring in Park Lane" stands out.

The movie is based on a 1916 novel by Alice Duer Miller, "Come Out of the Kitchen." Miller was an American author and suffragist, who wrote poetry, screenplays, and novels. Others of her poems and books were made into movies. Among the films are "Manslaughter" of 1930, "Roberta" of 1935, "The White Cliffs of Dover" of 1944, and "Lovely to Look At" of 1952.

"Spring in Park Lane" also belongs to a small group of films in which the butlers and/or maids are principals in the plot and provide much of the comedy. The best known of these probably is "My Man Godfrey" of 1936. But there are half a dozen others - this one among them, which are as funny as or better than Godfrey.

Here are some sample lines from the film. For more funny dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.

Judy Howard, "Richard, why don't you just go to the police and take what's coming to you?" Lord Richard, "The police? What on earth for? I haven't done anything." Judy, "Oh, well, you've answered that one anyway."

Uncle Joshua Howard, "Mildred, in affairs of the heart, you have all the delicacy of a bulldozer."

Lord Richard, "You're very beautiful, if I may say so, Miss Judy." Judy Howard, "What was that?" Richard, "I said it was a very beautiful evening, miss." Judy, "Did you?"

Uncle Joshua Howard, "Hmm. I don't mind Judy marrying blue blood, but I'm not very partial to red ink."

Rosie, "Mr. Maitland, I've got one of your photos. Do you think you could meet me on the back stairs in five minutes to sign it? It's a bit dark there. But Richard says that sometimes that's where a star's born."

Judy Howard, "Are you in the habit of making love to your employer's secretary?" Lord Richard, "No, miss. That was my first experience in that branch of domestic service."

Judy is playing the piano and Richard is polishing the floor and looking at her legs. When he slips and makes a noise she stops playing and comes around the piano. Judy, "You um, like music, Richard?" Lord Richard, "Yes, miss, especially pretty feet." Judy, "What did you say?" Richard, "I said, especially that petite suite, miss." Judy, "Which petite suite?" Richard, "That Petite Suite of Tchaikovsky you were just playing." Judy, "Oh, mmm. That's what it sounded like?" Richard, "Oh, yes, vaguely, miss, heh, heh." Judy, "It may have sounded like it, Richard, but it was not the Petite Suite of Tchaikovsky." Richard, "No, miss?" Judy, "No, Richard."

This is a lighthearted, very British romance with a fine cast. The story revolves around a merchant's daughter, Anna Neagle as Judy, who falls in love with their new servant, Richard, played by Michael Wilding, who is actually a nobleman fallen on hard times temporarily. As dancing partners they are sublime in the gentle romantic interludes which create lovely highlights to the movie. Don't miss it. The script moves along well with witty dialogue and interesting interaction among the characters. Excellent British fare with lots of charm.

A British romantic comedy; A story about a nobleman hiding from his relatives by working as footman in a Mayfair residence. He falls in love with the niece of the owner, a wealthy diamond merchant and art collector. This film is well directed, delivering sufficient escapism and glamour and the dialogue is witty and funny. The chemistry between Wilding and Neagle is positively charged. The set design is brilliant and the dancing set pieces are splendid. The film has fine musical arrangements for traditional melodies 'Early One Morning' and 'The Moment I Saw You'. As an aside, the film was the most successful British film of the twentieth century in terms of UK box office admissions.

When this film was released this country was in the grip of austerity so the sight of people living seemingly in another world of plenty was very appealing