A RUN FOR YOUR MONEY
UK, 1949, 85 minutes, Colour.
Donald Houston, Meredith Edwards, Moira Lister, Alec Guinness, Hugh Griffith, Clive Morton, Joyce Grenfell, Edward Rigby.
Directed by Charles Frend.
A Run For Your Money is yet another fine comedy from England in 1949 - the year of such films as Whisky Galore and Kind Hearts and Coronets. It was directed by Charles Frend, a regular director at Ealing Studios but a director who tended to make more serious films including Scott of the Antarctic, The Cruel Sea.
This is a Welsh story, two mining brothers played by Donald Houston and Meredith Edwards win a competition and go to London. They are to be met by a reporter who will accompany them - played by Alec Guinness. However, with a series of accidents, they miss the connection and take up with all kinds of problem people and are led a merry dance in London. They certainly have a run for their money.
There are some very good character actors to add to the entertainment of a witty script, including Moira Lister, Hugh Griffith and Joyce Grenfell.
1. A British comedy from the classic period of the late 1940s? the particular qualities of British film-making? Modest stories and characters?
2. Location photography, Wales and the mines, the town, the place for ordinary people? Musical score?
3. The introduction to the two brothers, their relationship, family, work, place in the town, friends?
4. The competition, the excitement, their winning? The effect, their plans, the preparations?
5. Going to London, venturing out of the surroundings they knew. The contact with the paper, the plans to meet Mr Whipple? The mistakes, the missing of connections, their being on their own?
6. Tam and Dai and their personalities, dependent on each other, different? In London, decisions, coping, the people they met, the environment? Mr Whipple and his having to deal with the situation and his discovery of the truth? The chase with Whimple and Jo, the cinema talent show, the hazards of getting to the station? The throwing of the money out the window, Jo's returning it? His infatuation with Jo, the sequence in the dress shop, his continued thinking of Bronwyn? A sympathetic portrait of a Welshman?
7. Tam and his losing Dal, the bowler hat, the money, discovering Huw Price and his singing in the street, the drinks, the recovering of the harp? Their travelling around the town? Getting into trouble? The missing out on the game? The visit to the cinema talent show and their singing and applause? The finale at the station?
8. Alec Guinness' performance as Mr Whimple? His gardening background and displaying his talent? His disdain for his job? The pressures of the editor? His driving Dal and Jo? Losing them? His seeing the football match - in the midst of the Welshmen? His discovery of the truth, finding Jo, the frantic chase? The finale with the policeman? A character sketch by Alec Guinness at his best?
9. Jo and her presence in the cafe, latching onto Dai, her smooth patter, at the newspaper office, her being discovered? Accompanying Dai, around the town, the selling of the ring, the trying on of the dress? Her performance to get Dai attached? At home, taking the money? The expose, the chase, her change of heart in giving back the money?
10. The gallery of interesting minor characters - the editor and his self-importance? The sympathetic and alert secretary? The pawnbroker and his cantankerous attitude, the harp, the watch, his bargaining? The Beefeater at the Tower of London and his discussion about plants with Mr Whimple? Joyce Grenfell as the owner of the shop and her typical enjoyable caricature?
11. A pleasant look at human nature, human foibles? With the sympathetic comic touch?
