''Medal for the General'' (US title: ''The Gay Intruders'') is a 1944 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

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

. The screenplay by Elizabeth Baron is based on the novel of the same title by James Ronald (published in the U.S. under the title ''Old Soldiers Never Die'').

Plot

The title character is General Victor Church, a proud

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

veteran who lives alone in a large house with his WW1 batman, Bates, and a few servants. Church was highly decorated in WWI, including a

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

and the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

. At the onset of WW2 he goes to

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...

to talk

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Lord Ottershaw (who was his adjutant in WW1) at the

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

to seek an active role in the War, after his numerous letters went unanswered. Despite their mutual respect, Ottershaw tells Church that he is too old, his experience out of date and that there was no vacancy for him. Church is subsequently ridiculed by some junior Army officers at his Club and although deflated, he decides to try and volunteer in the local Civil Defence organisations at the local town hall, but even they reject him. A woman at the town hall (

Irene Handl Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...

) tries to be nice to him but her patronising comments simply make him feel old and useless. He becomes despondent and reclusive, cutting himself off from everyone and all news about the war. Eventually he takes to his bed and Bates becomes concerned about him. Bates arranges for an old friend of the General (Lady Frome) to visit along with the local doctor, but the General rejects all help and sends them away. As she leaves, Lady Frome tells Bates that she has an idea which may help. The General then decides to go hunting for rabbits with his shotgun, but Bates becomes fearful that the General may attempt suicide with the shotgun and follows him. Whilst following, Bates observes the General pause and load the shotgun. Bates rushes in and disarms the General and encourages him to return home. On their arrival back at the house they find that Lady Frome has returned and has arranged for six rambunctious

Cockney Cockney is an accent and dialect of English, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by working-class and lower middle-class Londoners. The term "Cockney" has traditionally been used to describe a person from the East End, or ...

children, evacuated from the

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

slums, to be billeted with him. Resistant at first, he gradually begins to enjoy his paternal role (he is a widower and his only son was killed in World War 1), despite the children's challenging behaviour. The eldest boy (Harry) subsequently steals Church's medals and runs away. The General uses logic to work out where he is and takes him back and begins buying books to help the boy train as a mechanic and lets him work on the engine of his Daimler with Bates. One of the children (nicknamed ‘Limpy’ who is frightened at the sound of airplanes) is lame from an injury during a bombing raid and is examined by the local doctor after a fall. The doctor tells the General that the boy’s injury can be cured by surgery, but the boy is terrified. The General reveals his own leg injury, sustained during his wartime service, to Limpy who eventually agrees to the operation. The General pays his own private surgeon to do this. The eldest girl, Carrie - who uses the name of "Snarrer" attempts to appear older than her years by smoking and wearing heavy makeup. She is eventually discouraged from this by Hank, an American soldier friend, with whom she falls in love. Hank is an honourable young man who promises to write and gives "Snarrer" a chaste kiss as he leaves for war, promising more when she is a little older. One day a bomber crashes next to the mansion and the General becomes a local hero for rescuing the crew from the burning plane. He ends up in hospital with burnt hands. Limpy, having had his operation, is in the hospital bed next to him but the boy is too fearful to walk on his newly repaired leg. The General tricks Limpy into walking by feigning discomfort and presents Limpy with one of his own medals for his bravery. McNab (the Scottish gardener) and Bates visit the General in hospital and tell him that he has been awarded the

George Medal The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in cir ...

for his bravery as a civilian.

Cast

Godfrey Tearle Sir Godfrey Seymour Tearle (12 October 1884 – 9 June 1953) was a British actor who portrayed the quintessential British gentleman on stage and in both British and US films. Biography Born in New York City and brought up in Britain, he was t ...

as Gen. Victor Church *

Jeanne de Casalis Jeanne de Casalis (22 May 1897 – 19 August 1966) was a Basutoland-born British actress of stage, radio, TV and film. Born in Basutoland as Jeanne Casalis de Pury, she was educated in France, where her businessman father was the proprietor of ...

as Alice, Lady Frome (Victor's friend and local Women's Voluntary Services official) * Morland Graham as Bates (his batman) *

Mabel Constanduros Mabel Constanduros (' Tilling; 29 March 1880 – 8 February 1957) was an English actress and screenwriter. She gained public notice playing Mrs.Buggins on the radio programme '' The Buggins Family'', which ran from 1928 to 1948. As well as writi ...

as Mrs. Bates (the housekeeper) *

John Laurie John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish actor. In the course of his career, Laurie performed on the stage and in films as well as television. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the sitcom '' Dad's Army'' (19 ...

as McNab, the gardener * Patric Curwen as Dr. Sargeant *

Thorley Walters Thorley Swinstead Walters (12 May 1913 – 6 July 1991) was an English character actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in '' Two-Way Stretch'' and '' Carlton-Browne of the FO''. Early life Walters was born in T ...

as Maj. Andrew Church (Victor's nephew and ADC to Lord Ottershaw) *Alec Faversham as Hank the soldier *Michael Lambart as Maj-Gen. Lord Ottershaw (official at the War Office) *

as Mrs. Famsworth *

Rosalyn Boulter Rosalyn Boulter (1 February 19176 March 1997) was a British film actress. She married Stanley Haynes, a film writer, director and producer before having a daughter together, Carol, in 1943. Between 1935 and 1936 she featured in four West End ...

as Billetting Officer *Maureen Glynne as Carrie Higgins - "Snarrer de la Fontaine" (eldest girl evacuee) *Gerald Moore as Harry Doakes (eldest boy evacuee) *Pat Geary as Violet Higgins (evacuee) *

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

as Irma Smith (evacuee) * Brian Weske as Tommy Watkins - "Limpy" (evacuee) *David Trickett as Bobby Higgins (evacuee)

Production

Director Maurice Elvey was still searching for a young girl to portray the precocious orphan Irma when he attended a charity concert to benefit the National Fire Service at Royal Albert Hall. On the bill was 11-year-old

, who in addition to singing appeared in a comedy sketch written by her father. Elvey was so impressed by her performance he went backstage and offered her the role in his film.Kon, Andrea, ''This is My Song: A Biography of Petula Clark''. London: W.H. Allen 1983. . pp. 44-45 The following year he cast her in '' I Know Where I'm Going!'', and the two reunited for the 1954 film ''The Happiness of Three Women''.

Critical reception

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' said, "''Medal for the General'' is hardly a subtle or intellectual film, but it is warmhearted and the acting and direction show tact and good sense throughout." ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'' thought the story "is hardly promising material, and the sentimental way in which it is treated does nothing to make it more palatable."

References

External links

*
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{Maurice Elvey 1944 films 1944 comedy films British World War II films British black-and-white films Films directed by Maurice Elvey British comedy films Films scored by William Alwyn Films set in London Films shot at British National Studios 1940s English-language films 1940s British films