Play Up the Band
Play Up the Band is a 1935 British musical comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Stanley Holloway, Betty Ann Davies and Leslie Bradley.
| Play Up the Band | |
|---|---|
 Frank Atkinson, Betty Ann Davies and Stanley Holloway in a nightclub scene. | |
| Directed by | Harry Hughes |
| Produced by | Basil Humphrys Eric Donaldson |
| Written by | Aveling Ginever Frank Atkinson Katherine Strueby Vernon Harris Harry Hughes |
| Starring | Stanley Holloway Betty Ann Davies Leslie Bradley Amy Veness |
| Music by | Eric Spear |
| Cinematography | James Wilson |
| Edited by | Paul Capon |
Production company | City Films |
| Distributed by | Associated British Film Distributors |
Release date | November 1935 |
Running time | 71 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film was made at Ealing Studios by the independent company City Films.[1] The film's sets were designed by art director R. Holmes Paul. Location shooting took place at the Crystal Palace, which burnt down the following year.
Synopsis
The brass band of the Northern town of Hechdyke travel south to London to compete in a national contest. In the capital Sam Small becomes mixed up in a series of adventures including a plot to steal Lady Heckdyke's pearls and the romantic relationship between Heckdyke's son and Small's cousin Betty. Mistakenly arrested for the theft of the pearls, Small has to race to reach The Crystal Palace in time for the competition.
Cast
- Stanley Holloway as Sam Small
- Betty Ann Davies as Betty Small
- Leslie Bradley as Jack
- Frank Atkinson as Alf Ramsbottom
- Charles Sewell as Lord Hechdyke
- Amy Veness as Lady Heckdyke
- Cynthia Stock as Vera
- Julie Suedo as Marquise de Vaux
- Arthur Gomez as Marquis de Vaux
- Hal Gordon as Bandmaster
- Louise Selkirk and her Ladies Orchestra as Themselves
- The London Brass Band as Themselves
References
- Perry p.175
Bibliography
- Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
- Perry, George. Forever Ealing. Pavilion Books, 1994.
- Sutton, David R. A Chorus of Raspberries: British Film Comedy 1929-1939. University of Exeter Press, 2000.
- Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927-1939. British Film Institute, 1986.