Storm in a Teacup (1937)

A local politician in Scotland tries to break the reporter who wrote a negative story about him, and who is also in love with his daughter.

Directors:

Ian Dalrymple, Victor Saville

Writers:

Bruno Frank (play), James Bridie

Stars:

Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Cecil Parker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vivien Leigh	...	Victoria Gow
Rex Harrison	...	Frank Burdon
Cecil Parker	...	Provost William Gow
Sara Allgood	...	Honoria Hegarty
Ursula Jeans	...	Lisbet Skirving
Gus McNaughton	...	Horace Skirving
Edgar K. Bruce	...	McKellar (as Edgar Bruce)
Robert Hale	...	Lord Skerryvore
Quinton McPherson	...	Baillie Callender (as Quinton Macpherson)
Arthur Wontner	...	Fiscal
Eliot Makeham	...	Sheriff
George Pughe	...	Menzies
Arthur Seaton	...	Police Sergeant
Cecil Mannering	...	Police Constable
Ivor Barnard	...	Watkins

Storyline

Frank Burdon (Sir Rex Harrison) is a new reporter on a small-town Scottish paper. He's told to interview local politician William Gow (Cecil Parker), then left in charge of the paper overnight. He sees Gow being high-handed to a woman who can't afford to license her dog, and decides to run that story instead of the expected puff piece. Both are decent men, but a little too proud to back down, and the battle escalates into a criminal case. But at the same time, Burdon and Gow's daughter Victoria (Vivien Leigh) are falling in love.

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Plot Keywords:

libertarian | dog | reporter | politician | newspaper | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie received its New York City television premiere on Sunday, July 16, 1950 on WPIX (Channel 11).

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Goofs

When Frank uses the embossing machine, he seems to be producing gibberish: we see him selecting the first few letters as PMJG, and just after that he makes a double letter. But when we see the tape, it isn't gibberish and there's no double letter in it.

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Quotes

Frank Burdon: The people of these islands are the most long-suffering in the world - they'll put up anything: they'll pull in their belts if they think it's their duty, they'll even go to the ends of the earth to be blown to bits if necessary. But there's two things they won't put up with - bullying and cruelty.

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Crazy Credits

In keeping with the Scottish setting, the opening credits are shown on various Scottish plaids.

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Connections

Featured in Before She Was Scarlet O'Hara: An Interview with Anne Edwards (2013)

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Soundtracks

Bonnie Dundee
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by Frederic Lewis

User Reviews

Brilliant comedy

I agree with most of the other reviews, but there's lots more brilliance that has not been mentioned. James Bridie take a very funny swipe at American 1930's slang (the new maid and a funny reply by the Lord Judge).

I don't think of this as being at all Capra-like. None of his films has this kind of snappy, clever satirical dialog.

I've come to really consider this film of the best British comedies of the 1930's.

The current (2013) DVD issue is part of "The Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection" and is a really great print. Buy it and you'll see!

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 February 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Storm in a Teacup

Company Credits

Production Co:

Victor Saville Productions, London Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1