I Thank You

Set in London early in World War II, this silly yet charming film is about a group of vaudeville entertainers who are hoping to persuade one time backer Lady Randall to fund a new show – something she is disinclined to do. In an effort to speak to her privately about this, Arthur and Stinker apply for – and get – jobs in Lady Randall's house as a butler and a cook. As the cook, Arthur dresses in drag and actually is quite funny in that disguise. Of course, neither Arthur or Stinker can cook and there is an amusing routine with the cook in the house next door. Moore Marriott plays Lady Randall's nutty father. His batty old man routine got pretty boring and was my least favorite part of the movie. Given the general acclaim other reviewers hold him in, I may need to view more Marriott films to test my initial impression. What I particularly liked about the movie were the novelty songs such as "Oh Johnny Teach Me to Dance", "Hello to the Sun", "Waiting at the Church" and "Let's Get Hold of Hitler". In addition to Askey, the other performers evidently were also former Music Hall entertainers. I liked this one and will likely watch it again.

My bet is that if you asked 100 of my fellow Americans who Arthur Askey was, you MIGHT get lucky and find one. He and other British comedians like Will Hay are simply never shown on TV around here and the only reason I discovered them is that I like to download and watch public domain movies--and I have discovered some interesting movies that way. It seems that a lot of the public domain films were made by Gainesborough Pictures--and they made a lot of comedies as well as dramas.

Now I am not saying all these films are brilliant. Askey was often a bit low-brow in his humor--probably because he had his roots in the English stage--sort of like their version of vaudeville. So, for his audiences, Askey and many other comedians went for the cheap laugh--and that's not really a bad thing! Plus, his humor was never as cheap as our Three Stooges! This film must have seemed very near and dear to the hearts of the actors, as it's about a group of stage performers who are out of work and need someone to finance their show. So, Askey and Richard Murdock both approach a rich Lady--who also used to be a performer like them. But, she turns out to want nothing to do with her old job and now she is too sophisticated for such things. So, instead of asking for her financing directly, the decide to go to work for her, as she's advertising for a butler and maid. So you think....how can one of them be a maid?! Well, Askey, in the grand tradition of low-brow entertainment, dresses in drag--and he looks pretty convincing actually! So when exactly will they get around to popping the question? And what will she say? And what hope do they have of convincing anyone they are real servants?! Although this film too much singing, some of the songs were pretty catchy. Plus, I loved Moore Marriott in the he film. While he did a lot of films with Askey and Will Hay, here he is at his funniest. His crazy old coot routine is a hoot--and does a lot to make up for the plot lulls and songs. Well written and funny--this is a fun film even if some of the humor is a bit corny.

I Thank You is produced by Gainsborough Pictures, it's directed by Marcel Varnel and it stars Arthur Askey and Richard "Stinker" Murdoch. Set in London during World War II Blitz period, the story sees Askey & Murdoch as a couple of variety entertainers who find themselves out of work. In desperate need of money to put on a show, the pair dress up as house servants {Murdoch a servant and Askey in drag as a cook} and bluff their way into the home of Lady Randall, an ex-music hall star known to give financial aid to performers in the arts close to her heart. However, chaos reigns.

The diminutive Askey always proved divisive in film form, massively popular as a comedian and music hall performer, his silver screen outings were a very mixed bunch. Some were manic and guilty of letting Askey swamp the movie {he was an acquired taste}, other efforts found the right blend and let other actors impact on said film.I Thank You fits thankfully into the latter category. It is helped enormously by the writing, it's co-written by the two men influential in the best of Will Hay's cinema outings in the late 30s, Val Guest & Marriott Edgar {from a story by Howard Irving Young}. With that in mind, it's no surprise to find Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt in the cast. Along with Will Hay they formed one of British cinemas greatest comedy acts, but come 1940 Hay had had enough and went solo. Gainsborough put both guys with Askey in the hope of creating a new dream team for the 40s, that was never likely to work in all honesty, but they do have their moments. Such as here, where Marriott completely owns the film as chaos loving old curmudgeon Pop Bennett.

There's some nice tunes in the piece too. Askey sings "Hello To The Sun" & "Half Of Everything Is Yours" while the closing "Waiting At The Church" sung by Lily Morris {Lady Randall} is a bona fide classic. It's a fun frolic time of a movie, whippy one liners are cloaked in farcical set pieces, all guided by the assured hands of director Varnel. One of the better offerings in Askey's canon, and essential for those who wish to view the brilliant talent of Moore Marriott. 7/10

Arthur Askey's name is pretty much a seal of greatness, and this movie is no exception. If you don't mind his usual corny jokes, you're in for a dream ride with this one. Rivalling Askey in the comedic department is a young, unnamed girl who may well have been the English Gracie Allen with her charming voice and illogical logic. Sadly though, her character was never named, and she does not appear in any credits list for the film.

Askey and co. need a backer for their show, and the usual brass, Lady Randall, won't comply - so they set out for her house to pretend to be the new hired help, and end up getting a lot more than they bargained for! A great movie with a laugh around every corner.

`Big-hearted Arthur Askey' was a major British star of cinema, TV, and even, much earlier, Music Hall. On the evidence of `I Thank You' (a catch-phrase pronounced Aye Theng Yew) he was a comical little man with great timing but I just couldn't get a laugh out of this movie. And its not simply a case of what made people smile more than fifty years ago not being relevant today. A couple of nights previously I had watched an even older film, `Nothing Sacred' and found it absolutely hilarious.

`I Thank You' was made & set during the Second World War. It opens & closes in the London Underground where the population went to escape the German air raids, includes a couple of novelty songs plus performances from Richard `Stinker' Murdoch who became a top radio script-writer and Kathleen Harrison who always seemed to play a maid until she had great success in the fifties in The Huggetts series of films.

It's hard to recommend `I Thank You' which is often frantic and farcical; the best I can say is that it is mercifully short at seventy-odd minutes.