''It's a Grand Life'' is a 1953 British comedy film starring

Frank Randle Frank Randle (born Arthur Hughes, also known as Arthur McEvoy or Arthur Twist; 30 January 1901 – 7 July 1957) was an English comedian. A contemporary of fellow Lancastrians George Formby and Gracie Fields, he was regarded as more subv ...

and

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. Dors was p ...

. Music hall comedian Frank Randle who had previously starred in a

film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series. This article explains what film series are ...

of World War II army comedies (''

Somewhere in England ''Somewhere in England'' is the ninth studio album by English musician George Harrison, released on 1 June 1981 by Dark Horse Records. The album was recorded as Harrison was becoming increasingly frustrated with the music industry. The album's ...

'' (1940), ''

Somewhere in Camp ''Somewhere in Camp'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Robbie Vincent. The film continues the adventures of Private Randle from the 1940 film ''Somewhere in England''. It was ...

'' (1942), ''

Somewhere on Leave ''Somewhere on Leave'' is a 1943 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Dan Young. It was the third in the series of ''Somewhere'' films following Private Randle and his comrades. It was fo ...

'' (1942), ''

Somewhere in Civvies ''Somewhere in Civvies'' is a 1943 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Frank Randle, George Doonan and Suzette Tarri. Private Randle is discharged from the army and finds it difficult to adjust to civilian life. It was fol ...

'' (1943), '' Somewhere in Politics'' (1949)) stars as an accident-prone Private in his final film appearance. The film also features the professional wrestler

Jack Pye Jack Pye, also known as Dirty Jack Pye, Filthy Jack Pye and The Doncaster Panther, (July 9, 1903-December 8, 1985) was an English professional wrestler and actor from Doncaster, England. He was born John Pye on 9 July 1903 in Hindley near Wigan. ...

and the popular pianist

Winifred Atwell Una Winifred Atwell (27 February or 27 April 1910 or 1914There is some uncertainty over her date and year of birth. Many sources suggest 27 February 1914, but there is a strong suggestion that her birthday was 27 April. Most sources give her ye ...

. The role of Pte Pendergast was played by Arthur White, who is the elder brother of the actor Sir

David Jason Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the BBC sitcom '' Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector ...

Plot

The film is described in its opening titles as a comedy burlesque and is not meant to be derogatory to the army. Rather than having a tight plot, the film is a series of sketches set against army life in the

Essex Regiment The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. ...

in the post World War II era mostly involving an old private (

). One of the sub plots involves a glamorous

Women's Royal Army Corps The Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC; sometimes pronounced acronymically as , a term unpopular with its members) was the corps to which all women in the British Army belonged from 1949 to 1992, except medical, dental and veterinary officers and cha ...

Corporal being pursued and sexually harassed by her Company Sergeant Major ( Michael Brennan). Other

set piece In film production, a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires complex logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money. The term is often also used more broadly to describe a sequence in which the film-maker's ...

s include a wrestling match with

and a drill sequence.

Cast

– Pte. Randle *

– Cpl. Paula Clements * Dan Young – Pte. Young * Michael Brennan – Sgt. Maj. O'Reilly *

Jennifer Jayne Jennifer Jayne (14 November 1931 – 23 April 2006) was an English film and television actress born in Yorkshire to theatrical parents. Born Jennifer Jayne Jones, she adopted her stage name of Jennifer Jayne to avoid confusion with the Holly ...

– Pte. Desmond * John Blythe – Pte. Philip Green *

Anthony Hulme Anthony Hulme (1910–2007) was a British film actor. Filmography * ''A Yank at Oxford'' (1938) * '' The Body Vanished'' (1939) * ''The Frozen Limits'' (1939) * '' They Came by Night'' (1940) * '' Laugh It Off'' (1940) * '' For Freedom'' (1940) ...

– Capt. Saunders * Charles Peters – Pte. Rubenstein * Arthur White – Pte. Prendergast * Leslie Gould * Kevin Peters * Ian Fleming – Mr. Clements * Ruth Taylor – Mrs. Clements *

– Himself, Wrestler * Bill Gernon – Himself, Wrestler * Cab Cashford – Himself, Wrestler * Carl Van Wurden – Himself, Wrestler *

– Herself, Guest Artiste * Peter Mullings – Dance Hall Manager (uncredited) * George Jackson – Jeep Driver (Uncredited)

Production

It was one of several low-budget comedies Dors made around this time. She was paid £1,000 for five weeks work, the fee she had been paid for on '' Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?''. She said "I loathed the script and everything about it" but her then manager, husband Dennis Hamilton, insisted. The film was shot in Manchester. Dors said she got along with Randle, but that his drinking and temperament held up production.

Critical reception

In the '' Radio Times'',

Tony Sloman Anthony B. Sloman (born 6 May 1945 in Waltham Abbey, Essex) is an English film producer and screenwriter. Tony Sloman is a cinema critic and historian, whose long career has encompassed many facets of film making. He has worked intermitten ...

called it a "quaint and cheap army caper," and wrote of Randle, "If you've never seen him, give this a chance you might find he'll tickle your fancy. But if you have an aversion to music-hall stars on celluloid, give up, for Randle has neither the wit of

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

nor the warmth of Gracie Fields, and by the time this movie was made he was looking tired and rather grubby."

References

External links

* 1953 films British black-and-white films 1953 comedy films British comedy films Military humor in film Films shot in Greater Manchester 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub