Somewhere on Leave is a 1943 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Dan Young.[1] It was written by Roney Parsons and Anthony Toner and was the third in the series of Somewhere films following Private Randle and his comrades.[2] It was followed by Somewhere in Civvies (1943).
| Somewhere on Leave | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John E. Blakeley |
| Written by | Roney Parsons Anthony Toner |
| Produced by | John E. Blakeley |
| Starring | Frank Randle |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Faithfull |
| Edited by | E.R. Richards |
| Music by | Percival Mackey |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Butcher's Film Service (U.K.) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editPrivate Randle and army pals Privates Young and Enoch are invited by Private Desmond to spend some off-duty time at his stately home. Desmond is too busy courting an ATS girl to notice that the squaddies are running riot in his house.
Cast
edit- Frank Randle – Pte. Randle
- Harry Korris – Sgt. Korris
- Dan Young – Pte. Young
- Robbie Vincent – Pte. Enoch
- Antoinette Lupino – Toni Beaumont
- Pat McGrath – Pte. Roy Desmond
- Toni Edgar-Bruce – Mrs. Delvaine
- Edna Wood – Land Girl
- Vincent Holman – butler
- Percival Mackey Orchestra – themselves
- Noel Dainton – Capt. Delvaine
- Sidney Monckton – Captain Adams
- John Varley – Lieut. Bassett
- Clifford Cobb – Commando Sgt.
- Elizabeth Wilson – A.T.S. girl
- Esme Lewis – Mrs Gerrard
- Nan Hopkins – ATS girl
- Hilda Jones – Land Girl
- Ernie Dillon – trampoline artist
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Though the jokes are not always in the best of taste, and the quartette have not yet developed a film technique, but merely put on a number of variety turns, lovers of the rougher brand of humour will get their full share of laughs. The romance, on the other hand, is a little too ludicrous, all the more so as Pat McGrath and Toni Lupino suffer badly from lack of direction."[3]
Kine Weekly wrote in 1946: "Hearty British musical extravaganza featuring Frank Randle and many of the famous stars of 'Happidrome', one of war-time radio's most popular comedy features. Originally reviewed in the Kine of November 5, 1942, it returns to the screen untouched by scissors, but, in spite of its formidable footage, its fruity, not to say ribald, humour continues to register. Its tireless co-stars are past masters at cracking chestnuts."[4]
The Radio Times gave the film two out of five stars, writing: "Of the music-hall turns who made films, Lancashire comedian Frank Randle was among the most successful. But his appeal inevitably exemplifies the North-South divide and his success – including that of his five Somewhere films – was largely confined to home ground ... It may be unsophisticated, and more a series of incidents than a cohesive narrative, but it's still fun."[5]
References
edit- ^ "Somewhere on Leave". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ "Frank Randle". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016.
- ^ "Somewhere on Leave". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 9 (97): 154. 1 January 1942 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Somewhere on Leave". Kine Weekly. 348 (2028): 27. 28 February 1946 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Somewhere on Leave (1942)". Radio Times.
External links
edit
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