Lazybones (1935)

Director:

Michael Powell

Writers:

Ernest Denny (play)
Gerard Fairlie (writer)

Release Date:

24 June 1935 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Lazybones is an idle baronet. He hasn't a care in the world until his father cuts him off without a penny...

Plot Keywords:

Quota Quickie | One Word Title | Based On Play

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Claire Luce	...	Kitty McCarthy
Ian Hunter	...	Sir Reginald Ford
Sara Allgood	...	Bridget
Bernard Nedell	...	Mike McCarthy
Michael Shepley	...	Hildebrand Pope
Bobbie Comber	...	Kemp
Denys Blakelock	...	Hugh Ford
Mary Gaskell	...	Marjory Ford
Pamela Carne	...	Lottie Pope
Harold Warrender	...	Lord Melton
Miles Malleson	...	Pessimist
Fred Withers	...	Richards
Frank Morgan	...	Tom
Fewlass Llewellyn	...	Lord Brockley
Paul Blake	...	Viscount Woodland

Runtime:

65 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Real Art Productions

Trivia:

This was made at a time when the studios used to work through the night and the leading actors were both in plays in London. So after their evening performance they would come out to Twickenham to shoot their parts. And the film was about someone who's meant to be idle!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Truly, Madly, Cheaply!: British B Movies (2008) (TV)

somewhat disappointing curio

I did never see anything by Powell (nor by longtime collaborator Emeric Pressburger) but I figure I couldn't have a worse start than this one. Technically interesting, but the acting is unbelievably terrible and the supposed jokes diffuse and float away before they have the chance to reach your speakers :-( and that's not due to the lack of music (apart from the begintitles and the endscene). Let's just say Powell needed MORE than 5 years to learn how to handle actors AND sound. Probably interesting for Powell-completists and/or if you can be satisfied with nice cinematography (by Arthur Crabtree) alone. If you want the tape (VHS-PAL) I'll send it over gladly ;-)