''The Great Game'' is a 1930 British film, one of the earliest

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

s to use football as a central theme. The film's plot contains many elements of what would become clichés in the sporting film genre. Dicky Brown is a young, aspiring footballer who plays for a struggling side, the fictional Manningford F.C., a team in the midst of a successful cup run. He manages to charm the daughter of the chairman and thus breaks into the side, and ultimately wins the Cup for his team. The film covers now clichéd conflicts within football which still exist. The manager of the team wants to give his young players a chance in the side; the chairman, on the other hand, insists on signing established star players, such as Jack Cock (then of

Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club () is a professional football club in Bermondsey, South East London, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name ...

, previously of

Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, West London. Founded in 1905, they play their home games at Stamford Bridge. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football ...

and Everton F.C.). Much of the film is set in Chelsea's home ground, Stamford Bridge, and it contains guest appearances by numerous real-life footballers, including George Mills, Andy Wilson, Sam Millington and Billy Blyth. It was also notable for featuring the first credited appearance of Rex Harrison.

Cast

*John Batten as Dicky Brown * Renee Clama as Peggy Jackson * Jack Cock as Jim Blake *

Randle Ayrton Frederick Randle Ayrton (9 August 1869 – 28 May 1940) was a British actor of stage and screen, and was also a producer and director. Early life Ayrton was born in Chester to William Frances Ayrton, a wealthy wine-merchant who was a p ...

as Henderson *Neil Kenyon as Jackson *

Kenneth Kove Kenneth Kove (1892–1984) was a British actor. He was a regular member of the Aldwych farce team between 1923 and 1930, often in "silly-ass" roles; appearing in '' It Pays to Advertise'' (1923), '' Thark'' (1927), '' A Cup of Kindness'' (1929), ...

as Bultitude *A. G. Poulton as Banks * Billy Blyth as Billy *Lew Lake as Tubby *

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 ...

as Joe Miller * Rex Harrison as George

External links

* 1930 films 1930s sports films British association football films Chelsea F.C. British black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Films directed by Jack Raymond Films set in England 1930s British films {{sport-film-stub