''Break the News'' is a 1938

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

musical

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...

and starring

Jack Buchanan Walter John Buchanan (2 April 1891 – 20 October 1957) was a Scottish theatre and film actor, singer, dancer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George G ...

, Maurice Chevalier and June Knight. Two struggling performers decide to create a fake murder scandal in order to drum up publicity for their act. It was based on the novel ''Le mort en fuite'' by Loïc Le Gouriadec which had previously been made into a 1936 French film ''

Death on the Run ''Death on the Run'' (Italian: ''Bersaglio mobile''), also known as ''Moving Target'', is a 1967 Italian Eurospy film directed by Sergio Corbucci. Filmed in Athens,''Films and Filming'', Volume 14, Hansom Books, 1968. it was referred as a film ...

''. Songs featured include ''It All Belongs to You'' ( Cole Porter, sung by Chevalier) and ''We're Old Buddies'' (Van Phillips, Jack Buchanan, sung by Chevalier and Buchanan).

Cast

* Maurice Chevalier - François Verrier *

- Teddy Enton * June Knight - Grace Gatwick *

Marta Labarr Marta Labarr (born Martha Eugénie Claquin; 4 June 1912 – 30 June 1999) was a French-American singer and actress who appeared in 11 British and French films, usually as a leading lady. Her final film was the 1946 thriller ''Tehran'', playing o ...

- Sonia * Gertrude Musgrove - Helena *

Garry Marsh Garry Marsh (21 June 1902 – 6 March 1981) was an English stage and film actor. Born Leslie Marsh Gerahty in St Margarets, Surrey, his parents were George and Laura. His elder brothers were the author Digby George Gerahty and the journalist ...

- Producer *

Wallace Douglas Wallace Stuart Finlayson (15 August 1911 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – 8 August 1990 Coldwaltham, West Sussex, England), known as Wallace Douglas, was a Canadian producer, director and actor. The son of Robert Barnett Finlayson and Emiline ...

- Stage manager *

Joss Ambler Joss Ambler (23 June 1900 – 1959) was an Australian-born British film and television actor. He usually played somewhat pompous and irascible figures of authority, particularly in comedy films. He was an effective foil to George Formby in both ...

- Press agent * Mark Daly - Property man *

Gibb McLaughlin George McLoughlin (19 July 1879 – 30 June 1961), known professionally as Gibb McLaughlin, was an English film and stage actor. Early days McLaughlin was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England in 1879. For about 10 years he was a sales ...

- Superintendent *

Robb Wilton Robert Wilton Smith (28 August 1881 – 1 May 1957), better known as Robb Wilton, was an English comedian and actor. He was best known for his filmed monologues during the 1930s and 1940s, in which he played incompetent authority figures. His tr ...

- cab driver *

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Earl ...

- Sir George Bickory * C. Denier Warren - Sir Edward Phring * George Hayes - Tribunal President *

Guy Middleton Guy Middleton Powell (14 December 1906 – 30 July 1973), better known as Guy Middleton, was an English film character actor. Biography Guy Middleton was born in Hove, Sussex, and originally worked in the London Stock Exchange, before tu ...

- Englishman * Athole Stewart - Governor * Charles Lefeaux - Interpreter * D.J. Williams - Judge *

Elliott Mason Elliott Mason (29 January 1888 – 20 June 1949) was a British stage and film actress. She was sometimes credited as Elliot Mason. After making her screen debut in the 1935 comedy '' The Ghost Goes West'', Mason appeared regularly in supporti ...

- Dresser * J. Abercomie - Neighbor * William Fazan - Passport Official * H.R. Hignett - Prison Guard *

Wally Patch Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in ...

- Prison Guard *

Hal Gordon Hal Gordon (1894–1946) was a British film actor. A character actor, he appeared in over 90 films in both comic and straight roles. He started off as a lawyer's clerk but finding it dull he decided on the stage, making his music hall debut i ...

- Prison Guard *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

- Firing Squad Officer * Nigel Stock - Stage Boy

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "What a combination! ''Break the News'' boasted the talents of English stage star Jack Buchanan, French entertainer Maurice Chevalier, legendary director Rene Clair, and songwriter Cole Porter. But what should have made for dynamite entertainment, fizzled in the eyes of disappointed contemporary reviewers" ; as

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

put it, "there is little to suggest the old Clair wit and humor." However,

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

wrote, "the always enchanting Buchanan and Chevalier are a pleasure to watch in this funny, energetic musical that features some hilariously suspenseful sequences. Although it may not rank with director Clair's French classics, this perfect piece of British entertainment holds its own special place."

References

External links

* 1938 films 1938 musical comedy films British musical comedy films 1930s English-language films Films directed by René Clair British black-and-white films Films shot at Pinewood Studios British remakes of French films Films set in London 1930s British films {{musical-comedy-film-stub