''The Umbrella'' is a 1933 British

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

Redd Davis Redd Davis (1896–?) was a Canadian film director and producer who directed more than twenty films between 1932 and 1942. He was born in Canada in 1896, but he moved to Britain where he directed his first film '' The Spare Room'' in 1932. He wor ...

and starring

Kay Hammond Dorothy Katherine Standing, Lady Clements (18 February 1909 – 4 May 1980), known professionally as Kay Hammond, was an English stage and film actress. Family Kay Hammond was born in London, England as Dorothy Katherine Standing, the daught ...

Harold French Harold French (23 April 1897 – 19 October 1997) was an English film director, screenwriter and actor. Biography After training at the Italia Conti School, he made his acting debut age 12, in a production of ''The Winter's Tale''. As an ...

and

Victor Stanley Victor Stanley (1892–1939) was a British film actor. Selected filmography * ''The World, the Flesh, the Devil'' (1932) - Jim Stanger * '' The Iron Stair'' (1933) - Ben * ''The Ghost Camera'' (1933) - Albert Sims * '' Puppets of Fate'' (1933) * ...

. It was made as a

quota quickie The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...

Twickenham Studios Twickenham Studios (formerly known as Twickenham Film Studios) is a film studio in St Margarets, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, that is used by various motion picture and television companies. It was established in 1913 by Ralph ...

.Chibnall p.276

Premise

After being released from prison, two incompetent crooks allow the

umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used ...

with their stolen valuables stashed away in it to be carried off by someone else. A series of confusions ensue as they desperately try to recover the missing umbrella.

Cast

as Mabel *

as Freddie Wallace *

as Victor Garnett * Dick Francis as Michael Frankenstein *

Barbara Everest Barbara Everest (19 June 1890 – 9 February 1968) was a British stage and film actress. She was born in Southfields, Surrey, and made her screen debut in the 1916 film ''The Man Without a Soul''. On stage she played Queen Anne in the 1935 his ...

as Mrs. Wynne * Kathleen Tremaine as Mary Wynne * John Turnbull as Governor *

Syd Crossley Syd Crossley (18 November 1885 – 1 November 1960) was an English stage and film actor. Born in London in 1885, Crossley began his career as a music hall comedian. He appeared in more than 110 films, often cast as a butler, between 1925 an ...

as Police Constable * Ernest Mainwaring

References

Bibliography

* Chibnall, Steve. ''Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film''. British Film Institute, 2007. * Low, Rachael. ''Filmmaking in 1930s Britain''. George Allen & Unwin, 1985. * Wood, Linda. ''British Films, 1927-1939''. British Film Institute, 1986.

External links

* 1933 films British comedy films 1933 comedy films 1930s English-language films Films shot at Twickenham Film Studios Quota quickies Films directed by Redd Davis Films set in London British black-and-white films 1930s British films {{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub