The Love Match

Some of Askey's 1940s efforts are absolutely dire.It is little surprise when he stopped making films after "Bees In Paradise" which is truly awful.So it is something of a surprise to see how good he is in this film.Mind you he shortly returned to dismal form with "Ransbottom Rides Again".clearly he was very reliant on his material.Glenn Melvyn's screen play is funny and clearly tailor made for Askey.the whole film is very nostalgic with steam engines and views of Burnden Park and The Valley.There are a lot of film of matches which are extremely interesting.There is one notable continuity howler.Askey's son is playing against a team with dark shirts,however in the inert he hi playing against a team in white.A real bonus for lovers of music hall is the scene in the magistrates court with the great Robb Wilton doing part of his famous act.Worh seeing just for that.

Arthur Askey and Glenn Melvyn are a pair of football-mad railway men . Askey has misplaced fifty pounds of union money, his daughter Shirley Eaton has a new ballroom dancing partner and boyfriend who's the son of the Manchester United manager, and his son has just gotten a position on United --- problem is Askey is a City fanatic.

It's based on a play that Melvyn wrote -- the leads took seven weeks off from the run to make the movie and it's been opened up nicely for the screen. The problem is that in opening it up, they didn't trim the other parts, so that at 85 minutes, it has a few scenes that seem to lead no place in particular and could well have been cut, despite the wonderful, lightning-fast speed at which everyone babbles the comic Manchester dialogue and takes staccato pratfalls -- Danny Ross, as Eaton's love interest, looks as if all his falls were viciously undercranked.

The Love Match is directed by David Paltenghi and based on a play by Glenn Melvyn who also co-stars with Arthur Askey. Also featuring are Thora Hird, Shirley Eaton, Danny Ross, William Franklyn and Edward Chapman. Arthur Grant is the photographer and Wilfred Burns scores the original music.

After a sequence of events sees him arrested for the assault of a football referee, train driver Bill Brown (Askey) has to use some of the railway man's holiday fund to cover his fine. Desperate for the cash, Bill and his pal Wally (Melvyn) look to run a book on the upcoming United v City football match. But with his daughter Rose (Eaton) trying to win a dancing competition, and his son Arthur (Franklyn) about to make his debut for United, family strife is also taking a hold.

This was the first film that Arthur Askey made after a ten year absence from the big screen. It's typical boisterous fare, filled out with old time jokes and set piece frivolity. The story is a solid one, although it really helps if you are British and understand local football rivalry, while the cast around Askey perform to a high standard. There's some laugh out loud moments, such as one jitterbugging sequence, whilst the appearance of classic steam trains and rail yards carry with it a certain historical charm. All in all it's good harmless comedy fare for those who like Askey and similar British films of this ilk. 6.5/10

This is a very funny film from the mid 50's about Bill who is a railway motorman who is a giant football (soccer) fan. He goes to a match with his co-worker Wally (played by the writer of this gem, Glenn Melvyn) and by accident he hits the referee with a pie in the face. He is hauled off to court and fined 5 pounds, but Wally, who is deliberately dim in the film, hands the bag of money which was for a railwaymen party to someone who promptly uses the money to pay her fine of 50 pounds. So, how are they going to get the money back? There are other characters in this film, namely Bill's wife, who has great one liners, his son who is going to play football for the team Bill hates and his daughter, the stunning Shirley Eaton, who is entered in a dance contest in Liverpool. This is a great comedy about a family and their own part of the world. The screenplay by Mr. Melvyn is superb, and there are genuinely hilarious moments. No matter what kind of comedy you like, this is very highly recommended. Its crisp, the wit keeps flowing and the laughs are plenty. What more can you ask for?

An absolutely wonderful film.

I was brought up on Arthur Askey and Will Hay films, so I can appreciate the humour. Arthur Askey is my favourite comedian. This has to be one of my favourite films.

The line where Bill says to his wife Sal, 'He'll never make an engine driver, that Wally. His eyes aren't far enough apart to see through the engine windows'. Absolutely priceless!!! The cast is great, with both Arthur and Thora Hird putting in great performances. Also, an hilarious turn from Rob Wilton.

I would recommend this film to anyone who likes silliness! Especially of the Askey variety.

(FYI the guy who played Wally, is, apparently, who Ronnie Barker copied his stutter from in Open All Hours)