Worm's Eye View
| Worm's Eye View | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Jack Raymond |
| Written by | R.F. Delderfield Jack Marks |
| Based on | the 1943 play by R.F. Delderfield[1] |
| Produced by | Henry Halstead |
| Starring | Ronald Shiner Garry Marsh Diana Dors |
| Cinematography | James Wilson |
| Edited by | Helen Wiggins |
| Music by | Tony Lowry Tony Fones |
Production company | Henry Halstead Productions (as Byron Films) |
| Distributed by | Associated British-Pathé (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Worm's Eye View is a 1951 British Technicolor comedy film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Ronald Shiner and Diana Dors.[2] Based on the 1945 play of the same name by R.F. Delderfield, it was produced by Henry Halsted and Byron Films.
Plot
[edit] | This article needs an improved plot summary. (May 2025) |
The film is set in a family home during World War II. Their bitter landlady is not pleased by five fighters from the Royal Air Force who are staying there and she re-directs unjustly her frustrations against the family. Part of the film appears in the 1948 Rise and Shiner.[3]
Cast
[edit]- Ronald Shiner as Sam Porter
- Garry Marsh as Pop Brownlow
- Diana Dors as Thelma
- John Blythe as Duke
- Bruce Seton as Squadron Leader Briarly
- Digby Wolfe as Corporal Mark Trelawney
- Eric Davies as Taffy
- Everley Gregg as Mrs. Bounty
- Christina Forrest as Bella Bounty
- Jonathan Field as Sydney
- William Percy as Mr Bounty
Original play
[edit]The play was first staged in October 1944 by Basil Thomas, of the Wolverhampton Repertory Company. It went on tour the following spring and did well but did not transfer to London due to a shortage of theatres. However in late 1945 the play was put on at the Embassy Theatre in Hampstead and in January 1946 was transferred to the Whitehall, starring Ronald Shiner. The play was a huge success, running for five and a half years, briefly beating Chu Chin Cow as the longest running play in London. In 1952 Drama magazine wrote "There can scarcely be an adult member of the population who is not thoroughly familiar with the doings of this group of R.A.F. billetees during the war."[4][5]
Production
[edit]Filming took place at Hammersmith in late 1950.[6][7]
Reception
[edit]Box office
[edit]Worm's Eye View was the sixth most popular film at the British box office in 1951.[8][9] It was particularly popular in Scotland.[10]
This encouraged the same production company to film another stage farce with Shiner, Relucant Heroes. This too was a large success.
Critical reception
[edit]TV Guide wrote, "some mild amusement is to be found here, particularly in the dialogue, though all in all this is nothing special. British filmgoers thought otherwise, though, making both the film and Shiner big successes."[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Goble, Alan (8 September 2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. ISBN 9783110951943.
- ^ "Worm's Eye View". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "Rise and Shiner (1948)". BFI. Archived from the original on 17 January 2009.
- ^ "Long plays". Autumn 1952. p. 43.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ Delderfield, R. F. (1970). Overture for beginners. p. 218-219.
- ^ Round the British Studios Nepean, Edith. Picture Show; London Vol. 56, Iss. 1450, (Jan 13, 1951): 11.
- ^ The Frasers and the Munros call rival rallies Date: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1950 Publication: Daily Mail (London, England) p 2
- ^ "Vivien Leigh Actress of the Year". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 29 December 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ Thumim, Janet. "The popular cash and culture in the postwar British cinema industry". Screen. Vol. 32, no. 3. p. 259.
- ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British cinema of the 1950s : the decline of deference. Oxford University Press. p. 254.
- ^ "Worm's Eye View". TVGuide.com.
External links
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