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Hidden from me, anyhow - I'd never heard of it until browsing through my local library's video collection. Imagine an Ealing comedy as directed by Frank Capra. All of the acting is first-rate (and Vivien Leigh, pre-"Gone with the Wind", was about as beautiful as any woman could be), and the sets are unusually lavish for what must have been a medium-budget film in its time. The characters are strong yet sufficiently complex to lift the story above the simplistic comic melodrama it might have been - I can't imagine many American films of the time (or of this time) that would allow the "villain" of the piece enough courage to face down and walk through a mob that has just publicly humiliated him and is ready to attack him. The comedy is wonderfully handled, especially during the scene in which a pack of dogs runs rampant through the villain's stately home, and during the climactic courtroom scene. (The film's funniest line makes sense only in the context of the film: Ursula Jeans' anguished "Harold, he called me a woman!") "Storm in a Teacup" is a genuine delight.

Why isn't this excellent comedy better known? More to the point, why is it so consistently misinterpreted? Most commentators view it as an amusing piece of froth about the provost of a small Scottish town (Cecil Parker) ordering that a dog be put down because its owner cannot pay for its licence. There's Vivien Leigh as the provost's daughter and Rex Harrison on top form as the journalist who makes the silly story national news. It's all very funny and delightfully played by all concerned. But underlying this story (adapted from a German play by James Bridie) is a subtle satire of dictatorship as was then current in Germany and Italy. Parker's role is very clearly based on Hitler, a times quite unsettlingly so, and it is in the bold but successfully intermingling of whimsy with dictatorial manners that the film gains its particular power. Cute it may seem to be, but Victor Saville was a wise and quite a subversive soul, and you'll find few other films from this period that so ably blend the dark with the light. Take a look at it again and see what I mean!

Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Cecil Parker, and Sara Allgood star in "Storm in a Teacup." Parker plays Gow, an arrogant Scotsman running for public office. As he is being interviewed by reporter Frank Burdon(Harrison), he is approached by a local woman (Allgood) who is near hysterics about her dog being put down because she hasn't paid the license. While talking on one side of his mouth stating that he is for the people, Gow roundly throws her out. Affronted, Burdon turns the incident into something akin to what Watergate was in the '70s. Leigh plays his daughter, who just happens to have fallen in love with Burdon.

Excellent acting sparks this fast-moving comedy - in a run of the mill ingénue role, the beautiful Leigh sparkles, and a very young Harrison does a marvelous job as a determined reporter. Parker plays a pompous man with guts beautifully, and Allgood in her usual role as a low-class woman, is great. Kudos to Patsy the dog, who is the storm in the teacup.

Really worth seeing for the very young Leigh and Harrison.

Rex Harrison portrays a newly arrived British journalist in Scotland who uses his new job at a newspaper to take on the local political bigwig in this pleasing British comedy. The unfortunate circumstance is that while he battles the politician, he happens to be falling in love with the politician's beautiful daughter, Vivian Leigh. The issue at hand is the life of a dog that Leigh's father has coldly ordered to be put to sleep. It seems that its owner could not afford a dog license. Dog lovers should enjoy one scene in particular where what seems to be hundreds of dogs of all shapes and sizes raid the politician's mansion.

I agree with most of the other reviews, but there's lots more brilliance that has not been mentioned. James Bridie take a very funny swipe at American 1930's slang (the new maid and a funny reply by the Lord Judge).

I don't think of this as being at all Capra-like. None of his films has this kind of snappy, clever satirical dialog.

I've come to really consider this film of the best British comedies of the 1930's.

The current (2013) DVD issue is part of "The Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection" and is a really great print. Buy it and you'll see!

Widowed Mrs. Hegarty (Sara Allgood), ice cream peddler residing in a fictive West Scottish coast village, Baikie, has as sole companion her dog Patsy, but after she neglects to pay an annual canine licensing fee, the Provost (Mayor) of Baikie, William Gow (Cecil Parker) commands that the animal be dispatched, thereby inciting the titular tempest, for which a young English journalist is largely responsible. He is Frank Burdon (Rex Harrison), recently arrived in Baikie to begin employment with its newspaper. "The Advertiser", and it is Frank's willfulness that brings trouble upon himself as well as for others. In spite of romantic mutual attraction between Frank and Gow's daughter Victoria (Vivien Leigh), the dauntless reporter is well pleased to find a strong human interest slant within Mrs. Hegarty's plight and composes a story that immediately is spread throughout Scotland, therewith effectively putting an end to Gow's political ambitions, as he was preparing to stand for a parliamentary post, an aspiration that has apparently gone a-glimmering due to the Patsy affair, with the Provost moved to exact redress from Burdon by suing him for slander, an action that summons the probability of a final break between Frank and Vickie Gow. The film is constructed upon a play, "Storm Over Patsy", written in 1930 by German expatriate to the United States Bruno Frank, who settled in Hollywood as a screenwriter. It was rephrased for its exhibition upon the American stage by Glaswegian James Bridie and mounted with a good deal of success during 1936 and 1937 upon Broadway, the production generally featuring vocative Allgood in addition to Leo G. Carroll as Willie Gow. The provincial complexion of Baikie is more clearly rendered upon the screen than the boards, and fortunately Alexander Korda supplies adequate funding to furnish what he intends as a "small" film with significant numbers of extras along with a gaily embellished mise-en-scène. A contemporaneous review of the picture by producer/director/critic Basil Wright, published in The Spectator, expanded the amiable film's popularity, and it has retained a following because of its colourful scenes and characters, but a viewer will make note as well of superb costuming and, as must be expected, a superior performance by Parker who handily annexes the acting laurels here.

While Rex Harrison and Vivien Leigh aren't exactly the best couple to ever hit celluloid, and some of the less funny scenes go on and on while the funny scenes seem to stop before they've even begun, Storm In A Teacup is a pretty good place to begin if you've never seen a film with either...before they went Hollywood (before she was Scarlett O'Hara and he was Henry Higgins).

It's a political satire- Viv's character's father (Cecil Parker in a kilt) is the mayor of a small town and intends to run for governor. However, there's a young journalist (Rex Harrison) who has written an unflattering article about him for the local paper. Paker has decided to take away a woman's (Sara Allgood) dog due to her not paying her dog-owners license. Rex sets out to bring back her dog, bring the town justice, and write news articles, all while romancing Vivien Leigh. Sure, there's a rich woman (Urusla Jeans) who despises him and thinks he's no good, but ah, well, they all end up okay in the end.

Some parts of the film are spoofs of American culture, but there are a couple that were clearly influenced by American films. There are some screwballish elements to the plot, and the house that Viv and her father live in looks like it's right off the M-G-M lot.

Rex Harrison is pretty good in his role, it was a shock to see him so young, even if he just looked like his older self with more wrinkles. Vivien Leigh clearly hadn't developed her acting ability yet, which is unfortunate, and get a load of how many closeups they give her! Seriously. She says something, then there's a close-up of her looking pensive.

If you played a drinking game where you took a shot every time she had a close-up, you'd be tanked halfway through watching. There's a disappointingly small amount of funny scenes (the best ones would be either the one where Rex and Viv are in the fun house or the one where the dogs storm the house), but the film as a whole is enjoyable. Sara Allgood is good in her role as the woman who's having her dog taken away, and Cecil Parker is droll as Viv's father. Ursula Jeans is the main weak spot in the casting, but she's not on screen much, so it's not a problem.

It's not a storm in a teacup- the title is misleading- but it's a good little film, and could almost be considered a hidden gem. Seek it out if you haven't already.

I agree with the previous reviewer that this British film is an attempt by them to produce a Frank Capra like populist comedy. Certainly Cecil Parker as the town provost could easily have fit into a Capra film, a Mr. Potter from Scotland. Rex Harrison could easily be James Stewart, standing up for good.

Cecil Parker is the provost (Mayor?) of a small Scottish town called Baikie way in the rural north. Parker's an efficient manager who's come to the attention of party bigwigs who want to run him in a bi-election for an open seat in Parliament.

Parker is also a fatuous, arrogant oaf with the public relations sense of an ostrich. While being interviewed by reporter Rex Harrison, Sara Allgood who's a poor widow who can't afford the money for a dog license has her dog taken by Parker's police to be put to death as a stray. As she's begging, he throws her into the street.

Harrison who was going to do a puff piece as we would now call it, is outraged enough to write what occurred.

Complicating things is the fact that Harrison's fallen big time for Parker's daughter, Vivien Leigh. This was an early film for both and the megastardom that was destined for both is apparent.

Of course being the oaf he is with his ego out of joint, Parker keeps escalating this storm in a teacup until it's a nationwide issue. But the ending couldn't have been better done by Frank Capra himself.

Lots of laughs in this one and check out the scene where the dogs invade Parker's house. Could have been done as a short subject in and of itself.

If you're a fan and have ever been curious about what Vivien Leigh's film career was like pre-GWTW (or Rex Harrison's, decades before My Fair Lady) this is a good one to check out. It's a modest-but-cute little film. Many good plot synopses are found here at IMDb, so I'll add that if you're mainly used to Leigh's and Harrison's performances in bigger-budget classics, you need to be prepared for the vastly different style of movies like 'Storm in a Teacup'. Once you get used to it, the story moves fast, as does the clever dialogue. Depending on the condition of the print, you may want to opt for subtitles--both for the leads' clipped British delivery and the thick accents of the others (Sara Allgood speaks at the speed of light, but she's wonderful in the part.) All told, it's worth a watch.

You would probably have to be my age or older and to have lived in the London (England) area as a child; the only area then with television coverage in the UK; to know that the only film BBC television had access to in those days, when the film studios were determined that films would only be seen at the cinema, was 'Storm in a Teacup' staring Rex Harrison. During that period, 1949 - 1953, it was shown each Christmas as a special treat! Soppy film or not, it really was a treat then to see a film in the comfort of one's home.

Perhaps someone could add how it was that the BBC obtained this one and only film that allowed them to technically break the embargo.

In an ideal world James Stewart would have been the reporter not Rex Harrison because Rex Harrison isn't someone you take an instant liking to in this picture. His character is a bit of a free spirit, a rebel, someone standing up for the underdog (quite literally). He's therefore trying to be irreverent but comes across just as being rude and unpleasant. It was however his first major role in a motion picture so we can't expect too much I suppose.

Vivienne Leigh doesn't really get the chance to shine either. She doesn't have much to do in this, her character being quite one dimensional so she comes across as one of those typical spoilt little rich girls who existed only in the celluloid world of 1930s romantic comedies. And considering that it is meant to be comedy, it's not actually funny although it's fairly cheerful enough and will leave you in a happier frame of mind after you've watched it. The term comedy however covers a wide range from the slapstick Laurel and Hardy to the sophistication of IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT and everything between. Although it's not a particularly good example, this picture is more Frank Capra than Will Hay and is quite typical of mid-thirties light comedies from both England and America.

What's coming across from this review is that this is a mildly amusing, middle of the road, insubstantial and forgettable picture with all the mystery and excitement of beige wallpaper. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but there's nothing which makes this stand out either......the dog's quite cute.

Frank Burdon (Rex Harrison) arrives in a small Scottish town to be the new reporter with the local paper. He savages powerful pompous local provost William Gow (Cecil Parker) over an order to kill a dog. Burdon finds himself falling for Gow's daughter Victoria (Vivien Leigh).

I don't mind the romance. The conflict is fun although court room drama is not necessarily the best path. I love the doggie fun and I want more of it. The kids should be pranking him in more and more fun ways. The court case is too stupid. I get that that's the point. It's British humor.

Fascinating to see Rex Harrison and Vivien Leigh at the beginning of their respective careers.They are well supported by Cecil Parker and Elliott Markham among others.The court scene at the end is very funny and it is one of Alexander Kodas better film comedies not really being his real me tier. Leighton would appear in few comedies subsequently.

I haven't really seen many Leigh films and when I came across Storm in a Teacup I jumped at the chance to check it out. It's sod as a comedy but the comedy is rather slight, I consider it to be more humorous rather than outright funny, but pleasant enough either way. Harrison, Leigh, and Patrick are all solid but I think Harrison plays his role a bit highbrow and as such doesn't quite gain the full sympathies of the viewer as deeply as a result. Leigh is good with the role she's given in that her character isn't as developed and layered as she could have been. Still, despite some running weaknesses Storm in a Teacup is fun enough and worth checking out of your curious.

Flaws include too many cutaways for reaction, and a bit of obviousness in the plot, but those flaws are vastly out-numbered by the pleasures and joys of the total production.

As with other reviewers, I had never even heard of this movie and most of the players, so it was a surprise and delight to discover it.

I am always happy to see a motion picture present the evils of tyrannical government, even local government.

And the bullying of the chief government official, over what is to him such a minor, even trivial, matter shows just exactly what all of us, even 82 years after the release of this movie, and even thousands of miles from its setting, need to be aware of from even our neighborhood politicians and bureaucrats.

At the same time, the particular bully shows a lot of personal courage and is to be admired for it, and for his moral self-confidence.

However, as philosopher Sidney Hook warned us, and often unsuccessfully warned us, confidence in one's moral code is not good enough when that code is wrong; and courage to continue to believe in a wrong code is a dangerous courage.

As light-hearted as this production ultimately is, it is still both a lot of fun and a nice under-stated message. I highly recommend it, and there is a print available via Kanopy (for subscribers) and at YouTube.

The introductory credits identify Victor Saville and Ian Dalrymple as the directors of STORM IN A TEACUP. Well, Saville I knew from films like THE CONSPIRATOR, THE LONG WAIT, KIM, and others, Dalrymple I thought of as a producer.

Anyway, the two come up with a good film in the still early days of sound movies, and they extract very good performances from Cecil Parker, the incredibly beautiful Vivien Leigh, and the quietly forceful Rex Harrison.

Generally well shot, the shortcomings of this film are that it could have wrapped up in some 15 minutes less, the dog invasion goes on unnecessarily long, and the people's objection seems a little bit too pat for so much derision... hence the fitness of the title, STORM IN A TEACUP.

The excellent casts uses well the strong dialogue that sadly tends to become repetitive because the motive for all the hullaballoo borders on the puerile. 7/10.

When a young reporter, Frank Burdon (Rex Harrison), is given an assignment to interview a rather nasty and self-important local politician, it turns out to be very unpleasant. Although Provost Gow (Cecil Parker)* wants to run for parliament, he does a horrible job of impressing the reporter. This is because during the interview, Gow and Burden are interrupted by a local woman (Sara Allgood) who is begging the Provost to help her. Instead of helping, Provost Gow is completely unsympathetic and cruel--and vows to have the old lady's dog put to sleep!! Burdon is horrified and angry--how dare this local political boss mistreat his constituents like this! So he does what any honest reporter would do--he publishes the truth! This is a serious problem, though, as the paper was backing the Provost AND the Provost wasn't about to back down. Another problem is that Burdon soon falls in love with the Provost's daughter (Vivian Leigh)--and this relationship is surely doomed! This is a delightful film--sort of like a droll and British version of a screwball comedy. The dialog is GREAT and Harrison is at his best. It also helped that Cecil Parker was WONDERFUL as the buffoon politician. All in all, a great little film.

*Speaking of Parker, he looked, sounded and acted almost exactly like David Horton (David Waldhorn). The likeness of the two characters is amazing.

This rarely-shown gem of a movie is a great early showcase for both Vivian Lee and Rex Harrison, before either became a famous star. It is also a prime example of a genre of movie that the British do very well and which Hollywood rarely ever touches: political satire. When Hollywood does try this sort of thing it us usually heavy-handed. Not so here. Everything is handled with a light touch, and it's all very "tongue-in-cheek".

Cecil Parker is the pompous and arrogant mayor of a small Scottish town, who is also running for a seat in Parliament (it's the sort of part in which Cecil Parker always excelled). While the mayor is busy being interviewed by a cub reporter on the local newspaper (Rex Harrison), the mayor hasn't time to be bothered with listening to the plea of an impoverished woman (the aptly-named Sara Allgood) whose dog had been impounded by the police for non-payment of it's license fee. Harrison decides to include the incident in his newspaper article, and events snowball from there.

"Storm in a Teacup" is exactly that, so don't expect "All the King's Men", "The Best Man", "Advise and Consent" or "Seven Days in May". However, it is very funny, and well worth a look if it should happen to come around again.