Old Mother Riley's Ghosts

I'm inserting reviews for films I've seen that so far lack one, this is my 2nd entry for a below par entry in the already low-par OMR series, here goes.... Another below par series entry, using the old favorite of the spy ring using a 'haunted' castle as cover. I saw a fairly reasonable copy of this in Nov '07, and I like the idea of crooks using a 'haunted' castle, as a plot devise, but not OMR films, this entry however scores lower than usual from me for an OMR film, possibly the 'ghosts' title raised my expectations too much? as with my previous OMR review, it would be good to get a review from someone who liked it. This line is here because IMDb insist on a little more verbiage, though I notice there are some very brief 'reviews' for some titles.

Although Dennis Wyndham - One-Eyed Joe from 'Oh! Mr Porter' - actually features in this Old Mother Riley vehicle, he here plays a sympathetic role helping John Stuart as Kitty's debonair Mr Wright (yes, he's actually called that!) with his invention the baddies dress up as ghosts to steal.

Every expense has plainly been spared (the spooky castle staffed by an eyeball-rolling John Laurie - looking even older here than he did years later in 'Dad's Army' - in which the second act plays out presumably a standing set), but this turns out to be (despite what my predecessor on this board claims) an above-average Mother Riley vehicle on which Arthur Lucan worked overtime both providing additional dialogue and comedy scenes but also doubling up (and adopting a stutter) as one of the crooks.

The later part of this film bears a similarity to the Will Hay film. The main difference being the lack of comedy in this film.

The only point of interest is in seeing Lucan playing a stammering crook and being forced to disguise as Riley. All very strange.

Otherwise it is a rather boring entry in the series. Even John Baxter couldn't make a purse out of a pigs ear.