A TOUCH OF THE SUN

UK, 1956, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Frankie Howerd, Ruby Murray, Dennis Price, Dorothy Bromily, Gordon Harker, Reginald Beckwith, Colin Gordon, Richard Wattis, Alfie Bass.
Directed by Gordon Parry.

A Touch of the Sun is a star vehicle for Frankie Howerd. He was popular on radio and television – and this film, to feature his talents and his mimicry, was made more than a decade before his popularity with film and television series, Up Pompeii.

He plays the receptionist at a hotel, able to charm every customer. When he wins some money and leaves the hotel, it falls into collapse. He does not enjoy his time on the Riviera – with a collage of accidents that he is prone to. He returns, buys the hotel, spends a great deal of time with the staff setting up false expectations for investors, moving the staff from room to room and finally, of course, gets the clientele back.

Frankie Howerd at this stage of his career is very similar to what he was in the succeeding decades. Dennis Price has a role as the manager of the hotel. Richard Wattis is his usual self as an accountant and Reginald Beckwith and Alfie Bass, a rather lascivious performance, are two of the potential investors.

The film was written by Alfred Shaughnessy who the next year directed Cat Girl. He was also responsible for Upstairs, Downstairs.

1.A popular British comedy of the 50s? Short running time? British humour? Comic style, impersonations, verbal wit?

2.The film as a star vehicle for Frankie Howerd, his appearance, his manner of speaking, his mannerisms? His impersonations, the variety of faces for his work as a receptionist? Masquerading as the duchess? His pratfalls on the Riviera?

3.The title, rain in London, William Darling and his desire to be on the Riviera, his experience of the sun and his return home?

4.The hotel life, the receptionist, all the requests that were made of him, his adapting to everyone: the old ladies and the theatre tickets, the admiral, not revealing to a mother where her socialite daughter was …? His relationship with Ruby, the rose, working with her, falling in love, the happy ending? His relationship with the rest of the staff? With Hatchard, Hatchard and his laying down the law?

5.Darling and his getting the inheritance, the visit from Mr Purchase? His going to the Riviera? The experiences and not liking it, talking to the receptionist at the hotel?

6.His return, discussions with Purchase, with Rose? Getting the staff back again? Purchase and the potential buyers? His organising the staff, going from room to room, always giving the impression that the hotel was full? The response of the investors?

7.The clientele coming back? Darling and his marrying Rose? Happy ever after?