A Run for Your Money (1949)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Charles Frend

Writers:

Clifford Evans (story)
Richard Hughes (writer) ...

Release Date:

8 April 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Brothers from a Welsh village take their first trip to London to collect a prize, and meet a con artist and sundry other urban distractions.

Plot Keywords:

London | Reporter | Pub | Miner | Newspaper

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Donald Houston	...	David 'Dai Number 9' Jones
Meredith Edwards	...	Thomas 'Twm' Jones
Moira Lister	...	Jo
Alec Guinness	...	Whimple
Hugh Griffith	...	Huw
Clive Morton	...	Editor
Julie Milton	...	Bronwen
Peter Edwards	...	Davies Manager
Joyce Grenfell	...	Mrs Pargiter
Leslie Perrins	...	Barney
Dorothy Bramhall	...	Jane
Andrew Leigh	...	The Pawnbroker
Edward Rigby	...	Beefeater
Desmond Walter-Ellis	...	Station Announcer
Mackenzie Ward	...	Stebbins (Photographer)

Runtime:

85 min | USA:83 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:Approved (British Film Censors) | USA:Approved (PCA #13675) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Quotes:

Jane: I've checked the photograph of that floozy. She's a pro all right - a con woman!
Whimple: Pro and con?
Jane: A professional confidence trickster. She specializes in provincials up for a spree.

Movie Connections:

References Passport to Pimlico (1949)

A Well Made British Comedy

This story is about two Welsh brothers who are miners from an unpronounceable place in Wales who win a contest to go to London to see a rugby match. Part of the winnings are 200 pounds, a considerable sum in those days. The pair arrive, completely miss the otherwise disinterested gardening columnist asked to give them the prize (a great Alec Guiness) and go to the city. They meet up with Jo (the beautiful Moira Lister) and it turns out she is a scam artist and wants the money, so she becomes closer to the naive Dai. The brothers end up losing each other, with Twm meeting up with an old friend from their town. Hee helps him get back his pawned harp. The film goes from there, the brothers trying to find each other, Jo trying to get the 200 pounds and the columnist trying to endure this, being clearly out of his element. This is a very good film, comic, dramatic and even touching. The last half hour is excellent as you see how the story unfolds. If you like British film, especially classic British film, I highly recommend this.