All Over the Town

Filmed mostly outdoors in and around Lyme Regis In Dorset way back in 1949. The year British Cinema's saw there all time record for admissions, from 1949 though later than in the USA that new must have consumer product called the television set would slowly slice and dice the Cinema exhibition industry to pieces. Yet back in 1949 Britain genuinely had a homegrown film industry that produced quality films for domestic consumption, we all know the best of them, but i doubt if many connoisseurs of historic British films, let alone students of the post war era would list this title among the greats. Yet all who know this minor gem will surely agree, this movie is a triumph, the plot about the saving of a small town rag and a token romance to egg out the running time, is your lot for plot. Not that plot matters as this is a movie primarily about Englishness and how the English saw themselves way back then. History and time have been very generous to this film, the location Lyme Regis has changed surprisingly little and that most lovely of South West towns really is the star of the film, as it was in 1949 and it still will be in 2019 which will be very very soon. 70 years may of passed but the skill of the film makers who made this little wonder shines down through the decades. So do try to hunt down this wonderfully English/English of films and enjoy. This is little England now long long gone, yet still alive to all of us, if only on celluloid.

Superlative depiction of small town English life, postwar. Not to be taken lightly ...though the conflicts are shrouded in a comedic fashion, the message about integrity and courage in the midst of low down, mean spirited adversity can and, just, maybe should be taken seriously. Curious characters as well as the stereotyped dwell here...yet, even the stereotyped---because of the quaint datedness of the production---just not that way in the 21st century.

What prompted me to even register, here, and vote and, then comment on this movie, was the incredible performance and beauty of Sarah Churchill. Simply a modern day competitor to Blanchette, Streep, et.al

An RAF pilot returns to his job as a newspaper reporter in a small seaside town. At first he questions the importance of writing about the local goings on, but after unexpectedly becoming the editor, he decides to use the paper for the betterment of the community. In the process, he finds himself romantically involved with the woman who filled his job while he was serving in the war. This is a droll comedy that falls somewhere between Frank Capra and Preston Sturges in it's take on small town British life. All the characters are nicely written and acted, with a vein of dry wit running throughout the film (the local undertaker in particular). Fans of "The Avengers" can spot Patrick MacNee in a small role. If you're a fan of the Ealing comedies, this would be a "must see". It is, in any case, an entertaining and uplifting film.

An enjoyable little frolic set against the backdrop of a local newspaper reminiscent of the Ealing comedies (and anticipating 'Chance of a Lifetime' and the offbeat sixties Norman Wisdom comedy 'Press for Time') enhanced by attractive location photography of Lyme Regis standing in for the the fictional seaside town of 'Tormouth' where the underdogs take on the fusty and venal establishment.

Broad-faced Norman Wolland and sloe-eyed Sarah Churchill are attractively unconventional young leads, while Cyril Cusack is cast spectacularly against time as a fussy little capitalist lacky. (As usual there are also interesting faces among those unbilled, including future TV stars Patrick ('The Avengers') Macnee and Eric ('Please Sir') Chitty.)

I caught this movie on UK's Talking Pictures channel. In no way can it be described as a comedy, certainly not an Ealing Comedy. If anything it is a British attempt at lightish touch social realism in the changed Post WW2 era.