''Young Woodley'' is a 1930 British drama film directed by

Thomas Bentley Thomas Bentley (23 February 1884 – 23 December 1966) was a British film director. He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, ''The Man in the Street'' (1926), '' ...

and starring

Madeleine Carroll Edith Madeleine Carroll (26 February 1906 – 2 October 1987) was an English actress, popular both in Britain and America in the 1930s and 1940s. At the peak of her success in 1938, she was the world's highest-paid actress. Carroll is rememb ...

Frank Lawton Frank Lawton Mokeley (30 September 1904 – 10 June 1969) was an English actor. His parents were stage players Daisy May Collier and Frank Lawton (I). His first major screen credit was ''Young Woodley'' (1930). In the mid-1930s, Lawton appe ...

Sam Livesey Samuel Livesey (14 October 1873 – 7 November 1936) was a Welsh stage and film actor. Life Livesey's father, Thomas, had been a railway engineer before leaving the industry to establish a travelling theatre with his wife Mary. The two had six ...

, and

Gerald Rawlinson Gerald Rawlinson (1904–1975) was a British actor. Selected filmography *''The Hellcat'' (1928) *''Life's a Stage'' (1928) *'' The Rising Generation'' (1928) *'' Young Woodley'' (1928) *'' The Silent House'' (1929) *''The Devil's Maze'' (192 ...

Production

The film was based on the controversial 1925 play '' Young Woodley'' by

John Van Druten John William Van Druten (1 June 190119 December 1957) was an English playwright and theatre director. He began his career in London, and later moved to America, becoming a U.S. citizen. He was known for his plays of witty and urbane observation ...

. Bentley had previously directed a 1928 silent version, but the film was never released, and he re-made it in sound using some of the same actors. A school prefect becomes attracted to the headmaster's wife. The film, like the play, was noted for its subversive attitude to authority. The pompous and cold headmaster is portrayed as the villain of the work. The film was not a major success when it was releasedRichards p.314. despite its large budget and well-known subject matter.

Cast

as Laura Simmons *

as Woodley *

as Mr. Simmons *

as Milner *

Billy Milton Billy Milton (8 December 190522 November 1989) was a British stage, film and television actor. Born in Paddington, Middlesex, (now in London), as William Thomas Milton, he was the son of Harry Harman Milton (1880-1942), a commission agent, and ...

as Vining *

Aubrey Mather Aubrey Mather (17 December 1885 – 16 January 1958) was an English character actor. Career Mather was born in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, and began his career on the stage in 1905. He debuted in London in ''Brewster's Millions'' i ...

as Mr. Woodley *John Teed as Ainger *Anthony Halfpenny as Cope *

René Ray Irene Lilian Brodrick, Countess of Midleton (née Creese, known as Rene Ray, 22 September 1911 – 28 August 1993) was a British stage and screen actress of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and also a novelist. Acting career Ray made her screen début ...

as Kitty *Fanny Wright as Mother

References

Bibliography

*Richards, Jeffrey. ''The Age of the Dream Palace: Cinema and Society in Britain, 1930-1939''. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1984.

External links

* 1930 films Films shot at British International Pictures Studios 1930s English-language films Films directed by Thomas Bentley 1930 drama films British drama films British films based on plays Films set in England British black-and-white films 1930s British films {{1930s-UK-film-stub