When Knights Were Bold (1936 film)

When Knights Were Bold is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray and Garry Marsh.[1] Songs include "Let's Put the People To Work" sung by Jack Buchanan, "Onward We Go" sung by Buchanan & soldiers' chorus, and "I'm Still Dreaming" sung by Buchanan.[2]

When Knights Were Bold
DVD cover with artwork from original Swedish poster
Directed byJack Raymond
Produced byMax Schach
C.M. Woolf
Written byHarriett Jay (play)
Douglas Furber
Austin Parker
StarringJack Buchanan
Fay Wray
Garry Marsh
Music byHarry Perritt
CinematographyFreddie Young
Edited byFrederick Wilson
Production
company
Capitol Film Corporation
Distributed byGeneral Film Distributors
Release date
19 February 1936
Running time
76 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Sir Guy de Vere inherits his father's estate while serving with the British army in India. He returns home to take up his new role, but is greeted with hostility by his family and servants. After a drunken evening, a bump on the head with a suit of armour sends Sir Guy back to the 1400s and the golden age of chivalry.

Cast

Production

The film was made at Elstree Studios by the independent Capitol Film production company.[3] Buchanan had recently left his contract with producer Herbert Wilcox with whom he had enjoyed a number of hit releases. It was based on the 1906 play When Knights Were Bold by Harriett Jay. The film's sets were designed by the art director Wilfred Arnold. Some scenes were shot on location at Warwick Castle.[4]

Critical reception

In 1936, The Daily Express wrote, "In spite of its laudable effort to put more action into a fairly static play, the film script is a rare triumph of unimaginativeness." In 1942, The New York Times wrote, "it is, to state it briefly, a pointless trifle, a minor vaudeville skit...If the Little Carnegie is anxious to show none but British product, why doesn’t it play in revival some really memorable films? We can think of two dozen British pictures such as The Ghost Goes West, South Riding, To the Victor and Drums, not to mention the Hitchcock classics, which most certainly retain their appeal. Why expose a blunder which had better be forgot?" ;[5] while more recently, TV Guide noted, "it seems that the best British farces come from mocking that land's rather stuffy customs. This picture takes that course and provides pleasing comedy by not taking itself seriously."[6]

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References
  1. "When Knights Were Bold (1936)". BFI.
  2. "WHEN KNIGHTS WERE BOLD".
  3. Wood p.88
  4. Low p.200
  5. "Knightsfilms".
  6. "When Knights Were Bold". TVGuide.com.

Bibliography
  • Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
  • Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927-1939. British Film Institute, 1986.


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