Small Hotel

To say they don't make films like this anymore may be a cliche, but in this case it is delightfully true. 'The ups & down of the staff of a small country hotel' may sound boring, but this gem of a film makes every character shine, especially the sweet-as-anything Janet Munro, the wily Gordon Harker and the always excellent Irene Handl. There are some great 'bon mots' and calculated put-downs from Harker and Marie Lohr, and the whole thing leaves one happy and impressed. Charming.

A wonderfully balanced trio of Gordon Harker, Marie Lohr and Irene Handl are the heart of this utterly charming, warm and lovely gem of a film. They are simply perfect for each other and Harker in particular is a delight.

Billie Whitelaw provides solid meat, although would have benefited from more nuance/shading.

Really, the only reason I don't give this a 10/10 is I found the others parts either thinly drawn or acted.

What an absolutely delightful find and thanks to those who resurrected it.

With a pretty good cast, a good assortment of characters, and an amusing story, this light comedy works quite well. Gordon Harker, a good character actor, gets the chance to be in the leading role as the scheming waiter Albert. Janet Munro is energetic and sympathetic as a young waitress, and Marie Lohr is mostly believable as a bad-tempered justice of the peace. They get help from a supporting cast that includes John Loder and a young Billie Whitelaw. There are no big laughs, but a fair number of smiles, and a story that moves quickly and easily holds your interest.

The story starts when Loder, as a representative of the chain that owns the hotel where Harker and Munro work, decides to meddle with their way of doing things. Soon there is a rather involved battle of wills and wits among all of the characters. There might not be much depth to any of it, but it is entertaining, and unlike a lot of similar films, they don't push things farther than the premise justifies. You won't see too many B-comedies better than this, and it is definitely recommended if you enjoy low-budget comedies from the 40's and 50's.

One of the better films on talking pictures for what is basically a 4 hander set in 1 room it holds your attention incredibly well,didn't use my fast forward once which is always a good sign.

I've nothing to add to the four previous reviews praising this neglected little gem other than observing that it's a crying shame that it's attracted only five posts in twenty years; and what an amazing medium the cinema is for it's ability to furnish pleasures like seeing wily old-timer Gordon Harker in his penultimate film paired with a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young Janet Munro in her debut (wearing her hair surprisingly long for the period and who sadly was only to outlive Harker by five years). And what a gift to posterity Talking Pictures is proving by making such pleasures available to the discerning viewer.