The Amateur Gentleman (1936)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Thornton Freeland

Writers:

Clemence Dane (writer)
Jeffery Farnol (novel)

Release Date:

27 April 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

A former boxing champion, now an innkeeper, is accused of stealing a watch from a party of guests at his inn...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	John Beverley aka Barnabas Barty
Elissa Landi	...	Lady Cleone Meredith
Gordon Harker	...	Natty Bell
Basil Sydney	...	Louis Chichester
Hugh Williams	...	Lord Ronald Meredith
Irene Browne	...	Lady Huntstanton
Athole Stewart	...	Marquess of Comberhurst
Coral Browne	...	Pauline Darville
Margaret Lockwood	...	Georgina Huntstanton
Esme Percy	...	John Townsend
Frank Bertram	...	Belcher
Gilbert Davis	...	Prince Regent
Frank Pettingell	...	John Barty

Runtime:

102 min | USA:93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A

Filming Locations:

British International Pictures Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Criterion Film Productions Ltd.

Early Lockwood

I am an avid collector of Margaret Lockwood (ML) films and received "Once a Wicked Lady" a biography to read for my 62nd birthday recently.I have about 23 of ML's films and "Amateur Gentleman" was the latest addition.ML did not become a leading lady until 1938 when she filmed "Bank Holiday" and "The Lady Vanishes" and here in 1936, is in a support role playing a rather ditsy débutante.The film is set in Regency days, circa 1810, of Prince George soon to become in 1820 King George IV.Douglas Fairbanks Jnr.(DF) and ML renewed their professional association in 1939 in "Rulers of the Sea" when ML had a more substantial part more befitting to a leading lady in which she was excellent with Will Fyffe playing her father as he had done in "Owd Bob" (1938). The subject film has a rather dark theme set at a time when you could be hanged in the U.K. for stealing 5 shillings.The plot has already been adequately outlined by the only other user comment, so I will restrict my critique to the acting.Hugh Williams plays an addicted gambler at court and would again play opposite ML in Bank Holiday while Basil Sydney, usually cast in villainous roles, would appear with ML in "Jassy" (1947).The soundtrack is typical mid. 1930s quality and the film is throughout too dark i.e. not lit enough.I only rated it 6/10 as it has something of a "quota quickie" script quality and direction throughout but is just above mediocre.DF plays his usual handsome, athletic hero role but this time wins the leading lady while Hugh Williams runs off with ML.