His Lordship (1932)

Bert Gibbs becomes a Lord but agrees to pose as the fiance of a movie star to please his mother.

Director:

Michael Powell

Writers:

Oliver Madox Hueffer (novel), Ralph Smart

Stars:

Jerry Verno, Janet McGrew, Ben Welden

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jerry Verno	...	Bert Gibbs
Janet McGrew	...	Ilya Myona
Ben Welden	...	Washington Roosevelt Lincoln
Polly Ward	...	Leninia
Peter Gawthorne	...	Ferguson, the Butler
Muriel George	...	Mrs.Emma Gibbs
Michael Hogan	...	Comrade Curzon
V.C. Clinton-Baddeley	...	Comrade Howard
Patrick Ludlow	...	Hon. Grimsthwaite

Storyline

Unknown to his Communist girlfriend, Bert Gibbs the plumber inherited a title from his recently ennobled father when the latter died. Now he is trying to keep it quiet on the grounds that Leninia wouldn't like it, and that a Lordship is bad for business. However, an ambitious American movie star who wants to marry into the nobility gets to hear about his existence and fixes upon him as her last hope, all the other 'Lords' having rejected her proposition. Meanwhile, a pair of Bolshevik con-men plan to blackmail all parties and reveal Bert's secret identity to their 'comrade' Leninia...

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Plot Keywords:

movie star | communist agitator | plumber | quota quickie | publicity agent | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 1932 (UK)

Also Known As:

Sua signoria

Filming Locations:

Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Westminster Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A print of this film was found after none were known for 65 years.

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Soundtracks

"We'll Furnish It with Love"
Written by Leslie Holmes and Clay Keyes

User Reviews

Breezy Quota Qickie

This film was discovered in a vault at Pinewood some years ago having long thought to be lost.It is one of 19 quota quickies directed by Michael Powell.However he does not refer to the film at all in either of his autobiographies.An example of the disdain in which the films were held particularly by the people who made them.Perhaps if they had had the chance to actually watch them again they would revise their views.This is an extremely bright and engaging film from beginning to end.Unlike many quota films it turns its limitations to its advantage.The cast is for one a great surprise.Jerry Verno shows what he can achieve in a lead role.Not something he would get any chance of in his subsequent career,his girlfriend Polly ward ended up playing in George Formby films and her film career petered out in the 40s.Peter Gawthorne normally seen as an officer here plays a singing butler.Muriel George plays her usual maternal part but again she bursts into song.Ben Weldon as the manager is also given a leading role in which he excels unlike the second or third hood in a Warner's gangster film.the actress who plays the movie star is at least to me a complete unknown and this would appear to be her only film role which is a shame. The musical numbers tie in with the plot in a way that may be copying films such as "Love Me tonight".It is clear that the musical numbers are being photographed and recorded simultaneously as that was the practice of the time.Not till the later thirties did playback become the standard.At the end of the film there is featured an early version of a helicopter.All in all this is one of the best quota quickies i have ever seen.