Orders Is Orders (1934)

A brash American movie producer arrives at an army base in England wanting to shoot a movie and use the soldiers as extras. The base commander doesn't want any part of it, but the producer ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Forde

Writers:

Leslie Arliss, Anthony Armstrong (play)

Stars:

Charlotte Greenwood, James Gleason, Cyril Maude

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlotte Greenwood	...	Wanda Sinclair
James Gleason	...	Ed Waggermeyer
Cyril Maude	...	Col. Bellamy
Finlay Currie	...	Dave
Percy Parsons	...	Zingbaum
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Brigadier
Donald Calthrop	...	Pavey
Ian Hunter	...	Capt. Harper
Jane Carr	...	Patricia Bellamy
Ray Milland	...	Dashwood
Edwin Lawrence	...	Quartermaster
Eliot Makeham	...	Pvt. Slee
Hay Plumb	...	Pvt. Goffin
Wally Patch	...	Regimental Sergeant Major
Jane Cornell	...	Starlet

Storyline

A brash American movie producer arrives at an army base in England wanting to shoot a movie and use the soldiers as extras. The base commander doesn't want any part of it, but the producer and his secretary cook up a scheme to trick the officer into letting him use the base and its men. Their plan succeeds, but things don't turn out quite the way they were expecting.

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Plot Keywords:

army base | army | farce | based on play | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Il diavolo in caserma

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (British Acoustic)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remade as Orders Are Orders (1954)

User Reviews

Part of Gaumont British Failed Strategy

In the 1930s Gaumont British decided to try and crack the American market.So in many of their films they featured American actors.In this film we have James Gleason and Charlotte Greenwood.Given that Gleason is a credited writer one must assume that he beefed up his part.Greenwood,was a marvelous eccentric dancer and she uses her fabulous long legs to good effect.The problem though is that in American terms these would be no more than names from the B list of actors.The British cast is quite interesting.Donald Calthorp has a large part but he looks very old and would die only 6 years later at 52.The farce here is broad and uneven and not particularly successful.Gaumont British went broke in 1938.enough said.