De la coupe aux lèvres

This is one of the harder reviews I've ever done. In the past, I have loved the Ealing Studios films I have seen. I also love the time I have spent in Wales--it's a charming and wonderful land. So I really expected to love A RUN FOR YOUR MONEY. Oddly, however, I liked it only mildly, though I wasn't totally sure why. So, instead of writing my review right away like I usually do, I decided to think about it for a while...mull it over in my head.

Now that some time has passed, I think the biggest reason I didn't love the film was that my expectations are just too high. Having seen films like PASSPORT TO PIMLICO and THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT (among many others), I expected the same magic. This really isn't 100% fair--as the Ealing people can't be expected to reprise the same level of success in every film. Another reason, and this one I think they could help, was that in many ways you never really get to know the characters that well. Too often, they are running about or having adventures and I felt that I wanted more. Finally, the whole idea of a country person going to the big city and having problems with the fast-paced city dwellers has been done many times before and the idea wasn't 100% original.

Still, there is a lot to like. Just from a historical standpoint, this is a glimpse at Welsh life that simply doesn't exist any more, now that their economy is no longer based on coal and slate mining. Also, while not necessarily a great film, it is very pleasant and worth watching. So, provided you don't set your expectations too high, then it's a very good film.

This story is about two Welsh brothers who are miners from an unpronounceable place in Wales who win a contest to go to London to see a rugby match. Part of the winnings are 200 pounds, a considerable sum in those days. The pair arrive, completely miss the otherwise disinterested gardening columnist asked to give them the prize (a great Alec Guiness) and go to the city. They meet up with Jo (the beautiful Moira Lister) and it turns out she is a scam artist and wants the money, so she becomes closer to the naive Dai. The brothers end up losing each other, with Twm meeting up with an old friend from their town. Hee helps him get back his pawned harp. The film goes from there, the brothers trying to find each other, Jo trying to get the 200 pounds and the columnist trying to endure this, being clearly out of his element. This is a very good film, comic, dramatic and even touching. The last half hour is excellent as you see how the story unfolds. If you like British film, especially classic British film, I highly recommend this.

A lesser-known, lightweight Ealing Comedy which follows the exploits of two Welsh mining brothers Donald Houston and Meredith Edwards who win a newspaper lottery prize of a trip to London, tickets for the big England v Wales rugby international at Twickenham and £100 prize money each. Sent out by the paper to chaperone them on their big day and write up their story is their reluctant, horticultural columnist Alec Guinness but almost immediately they arrive in the big city, the siblings are separated and fall into a separate series of misadventures before they have to make a madcap race for the return train home with a motley entourage in their wake, who've all played a part in their story.

A tale of innocents abroad, the film one suspects is mildly patronising of the Welsh as rather wide-eyed, boozy, over-trusting simpletons who sing their way through life's ups and downs. Houston's Dai and his solo adventure is more interesting than his brother's as he falls under the influence of what Guinness's character neatly calls a pro-con, pretty professional confidence trickster Moira Lister, out to separate Houston both from his money and his girl back in the valleys. I however found other brother Tom's escapade, where he picks up his old hometown harpist accompanist begging on the streets of London, rather tiresome.

The film has some funny moments like when a tannoy announcement is made for a Mr Jones from Wales at Paddington Station when the announcer can't pronounce their Welsh town name to a train full of Welshmen arriving for the match, with predictably chaotic results and a young Joyce Grenfell's turn as a fawning dress shop salesperson but the film suffers from too much slapstick and sentimentality. Houston and Edwards hardly seem like brothers and Hugh Griffiths as the hanger-on harp player soon irritates but Guinness already shows the skills that would make him a mainstay of the studio in years to come.

Lacking the sharp satire and social commentary of other Ealing Comedies, nonetheless I can see how this unassuming film might have cheered the average post-War cinema-goer. Me today, a bit less so.

Anything from Ealing Studios promises a lot from the get go. Their films tend to be funny (hilarious at their best), charming and well made with great actors with a gift for comic timing. Am especially fond of 'The Ladykillers', 'The Man in the White Suit', 'The Lavender Hill Mob' and my favourite 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'. So expected quite a lot from 'A Run for Your Money'.

Part of me couldn't help feeling a little disappointed though watching 'A Run for Your Money', perhaps from somewhat understandably expecting too much (seriously any Ealing Studios film featuring or starring Alec Guinness, evidenced by his tour-De-force acting in 'Kind Hearts and Coronets', sounds like a recipe for greatness). Despite how that sounds, 'A Run for Your Money' was actually still enjoyable with reservations, definitely not a film to avoid. It's just hard not to compare it against Ealing's other films because their best films are so wonderful and considered classics for good reason.

Did find that the Donald Houston/Moira Lister subplot was not always very interesting, tending to test my patience and be on the slow and saccharine side. Lister came over as somewhat anaemic so that further brought it down.

Some of the more farcical humour came over as a little over-played and repetitive, parts coming over as on the cheap side.

However, 'A Run for Your Money' is well made with handsome sets and photography particularly. It's whimiscally and lushly scored and Charles Frend keeps much of the film moving along nicely. The script has a nice playful wit and there is immense charm throughout, being half-Welsh it was hard not to feel nostalgic. Despite not caring for the Houston and Lister subplot, the Meredith Edwards and Hugh Griffith one was more interesting and it was amusing generally.

Lister aside, the performances are fine, comic timing not flagging and there is likeability. Guinness was never less than reliable and he was fun to watch even though he was deserving of more to do.

In summary, nice though considering it was an Ealing Studios film part of me expected more. 7/10 Bethany Cox

"Run for Your Money" is a 1949 comedy that's just about that - two Welsh brothers, with some other interested parties, running all around London in a single day to collect a cash prize. This isn't a comedy of great witty lines and dialog that was typical of Hollywood in its golden age. Rather, it's of the British ilk of the same period with funny situations, and warm-hearted humor.

The film has a fine cast of actors of its day from around the United Kingdom. Donald Houston and Meredith Edwards are the brothers, Dai (David) and Twm (Tom). They work in the coal mines and hail from the fictional town of Hafoduwchbenceubwllymarchogcoch, Wales. Listening to the town pronounced in the opening, one comes up with a phonetic spelling for pronunciation close to this - Hah¬¬o Duke Ben Cray Buff Mare Hog Co.

The brothers have won a £200 prize from the Echo newspaper and are sent on their way to collect by the mine boss, company office and fellow miners. Clive Morton plays the paper editor who assigns his garden columnist, Whimple, to the story. Alec Guinness plays Whimple. He's to meet their train and escort the boys around London, show them a good time, and then deliver them at the paper office to accept their cash prize.

Several other people have fine parts. One is another Welshman, Hugh Griffith who plays Huw. He's a one-time celebrated singer from Wales who is now panhandling in London for drink money. And South African actress Moira Lister plays Jo. She's an attractive girl the boys meet in a lunchroom. She's also a local scam artist.

The hilarity begins when the boys arrive in London and Whimple can't find them at the train station. They soon get split up after meeting Jo, and Tom then runs into Huw. The rest of the film is frenzy as these disparate players run around looking for one another, with David showing up to collect the cash and Tom being thrown out of the office after he and Huw have had one too many pints.

The film has many chuckles with the scurrying about, and encounters they all have. The ending is just right for a harried day of country lads in the big city. The funnies line in the film is Guinness's Whimple. He says to his editor, "How much I prefer vegetables to human beings."

This is an early look at Donald Houston (1923-1991). He was just 25 years old here and in only his fourth film. It was one of just a few comedies that he would make. After this he would make mostly mysteries and dramas. He made a few war films, and although playing a leading man for a time, he was mostly cast in second tier films. His later career saw him in some fine supporting roles of first tier films. Both Houston and Edwards were Welsh, and Houston actually worked for a time in the coal mines as a young man. He entered an acting contest held in his local town and began a career in acting.

This was only the fifth film for Alec Guinness (1914-2000). While he had been on stage for several years, Guinness was slow to come around to the silver screen. But he made some fantastic British comedies over the years. He was a great actor who could play any roles. He received many major award nominations and won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and three BAFTA awards. He still preferred the stage over film, and won a Tony on Broadway in 1964.

Most young people will know Guinness only for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars films. Film buffs who haven't seen him otherwise, and those interested in the theater and acting, owe it to themselves to watch at least a few Guinness films. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) is one of the best war movies ever made. For comedic genius and versatility, Guinness's eight roles in "Kind Hearts and Coronets" (1949) can't be topped. Among other great dramatic films in which he starred are "The Prisoner" of 1955 and "Damn the Defiant!" of 1962. He also starred in two blockbuster British TV mini-series.