To the Rescue

For some reason the name or Richard Massingham is not writ large in British documentary film history.He made many engaging public information films.He was also à film critic on a national newsletter.He was only 55 years at the time of bis untimely passing.This was one of his last films made for Saturday morning children's matinees.

Young "George" (Fella Edmonds) takes to a young pedigree poodle but the owner wants 20 Guineas for it. Way too expensive, says his dad, but they do manage to get "Candy" instead. When doing the shopping one day, the local grocer "Mr. Polly" (Richard Massingham) hits on the idea that this ball of fur might be a potential champion and so they decide to enter her in the local show. They must, however, be careful that the dastardly, Terry-Thomas-esque, "Mr. Black" (Jacques Brunius) - doesn't get wind of it, so they must keep it all hush hush! Using a gently building score and some enjoyable silent film stalking techniques what ensues features a bit of dog-napping, before they give chase by car and horse around some English country lanes then the inevitable conclusion. This is standard Children's Film Foundation fayre that is aimed at children and pet lovers. There's not much dialogue, indeed the last five minutes is really about music, barking, the mutts turning the tables and a good dunking! You'll never remember it, but it's an interesting illustration of cinema made for kids right at the start of the second Elizabeth reign.

I largely agree with the other review posted here; it reminded me very strongly of a silent film, but with a little dialogue thrown in.

Dr Richard Massingham's previous film outings had often been in public (health) information films; following a career in medicine, he started a film company to produce such things, since no-one else was doing this in the UK at the time.

Frequently appearing in the films himself, he most often portrayed a slightly dim-witted elderly chap who unwittingly puts himself and others in harm's way with his behaviour. When told of this, he would most often pull a variety of extraordinary facial expressions. Films on the subjects of handkerchief usage, the perils of sneezing etc are 'once seen, not forgotten' stuff. His character reminds me of elderly 'Homer Simpson meets Mr Bean' if you can imagine that.

This film appears to have been something of a hobby project for him; it appears to have been almost home-made, using his children as actors, and the other residents of Biddenden, Kent, as extras. Biddenden is where I think he lived at the time; he certainly passed away there only a year or so after this film was made.

He was only 55 years old when he died, which meant that he had been playing the part of 'an older gentleman' in those WWII era films when in his early 40's. He was sufficiently well thought of that a documentary film was made concerning him a year after his death; (http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b697b1fe1)

There may have also been a later TV retrospective as well.

This film wasn't quite his last screen outing; he appeared briefly in two more films and produced another before his untimely death.

This is a simple tale, largely told without guile or artifice. Lots of running around in the Kent countryside and so forth; it looks as if they had great fun making it, too.

My Grandchildren love this and so do I. A simple story told with simplicity and style. It seems the whole community were involved towards the end and the rescue was wonderfully concocted. Interesting to see the Dogs came from kennels in Harpenden, lived there for 14 years, no where near the location.