''The Midshipmaid'' is a 1932 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 Albert de Courville and starring

Jessie Matthews Jessie Margaret Matthews (11 March 1907 – 19 August 1981) was an English actress, dancer and singer of the 1920s and 1930s, whose career continued into the post-war period. After a string of hit stage musicals and films in the mid-1930s, Ma ...

Frederick Kerr Frederick Kerr (born Frederick Grinham Keen, 11 October 1858 – 3 May 1933) was an English actor who appeared on stage in both London and New York and in British and American films; he also worked as a major theatrical manager in London. Early ...

, Basil Sydney and Nigel Bruce. The film is based on the 1931 play of the same title by Ian Hay and

Stephen King-Hall William Stephen Richard King-Hall, Baron King-Hall of Headley (21 January 1893 – 2 June 1966) was a British naval officer, writer, politician and playwright who served as the member of parliament for Ormskirk from 1939 to 1945. Early life and ...

. it was released in the U.S. as ''Midshipmaid Gob''.

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

makes his film debut in a supporting role. It was shot at the

Lime Grove Studios Lime Grove Studios was a film, and later television, studio complex in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England. The complex was built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915. It was situated in Lime Grove, a residential street in Shepherd's Bush, and ...

, with sets designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Alfred Junge Alfred Junge (29 January 1886, Görlitz, Silesia (now Saxony), Germany – 16 July 1964, London) was a German-born production designer who spent a large part of his career working in the British film industry. Junge had wanted to be an artis ...

Plot

In this comedy with musical interludes, pompous economy expert Sir Percy Newbiggin (Fred Kerr) visits the Naval Fleet in

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

to see what cuts can be made in their expenditure. The officers all fall over themselves to woo his beautiful daughter Celia (Jessie Matthews), who accompanies him: she becomes engaged to the son of the First Sea Lord and her father decides to leave economics to the Navy.

Cast

as Celia Newbiggin *

as Sir Percy Newbiggin * Basil Sydney as Commander Fosberry * Nigel Bruce as Major Spink *

A. W. Baskcomb A. W. Baskcomb (1879 – 1939) was a British stage actor known for his comedy roles. He also appeared in several films. On stage he originated the role of Slightly in J.M. Barrie's 1904 play ''Peter and Wendy'', continuing to play it for the nex ...

as AB Pook *

Claud Allister Claud Allister (born William Claud Michael Palmer, 3 October 1888 – 26 July 1970) was an English actor with an extensive film career in both Britain and Hollywood, where he appeared in more than 70 films between 1929 and 1955. Life and ...

as Chinley * Anthony Bushell as Lieutenant Valentine *Edwin Lawrence as Tappett *Archie Glen as Bunduy *Albert Rebla as Robbins *

as Golightly * Anthony Holles as Lieutenant Kingsford *

George Zucco George Zucco (11 January 1886 – 27 May 1960) was a British character actor who appeared in plays and 96 films, mostly American-made, during a career spanning over two decades, from the 1920s to 1951. In his films, he often played a suave ...

as Lord Dore *

Joyce Kirby Joyce Kirby (March 15, 1915 – 1985) was a British actress. On stage from childhood and a dancer in Cochrane shows, she appeared in several British films of the 1930s. Selected filmography * ''The Midshipmaid'' (1932) * ''A Safe Propositio ...

as Dora *

Steve Condos Steve Condos (October 12, 1918 in Pittsburgh, PASeptember 16, 1990 in Lyon) was an American tap dancer. He was a member of the Condos Brothers, with siblings Nick and Frank. The Condos Brothers are credited in the film '' Wake Up and Live'' (1937 ...

as Horse *Nick Condos as Horse *

Hay Plumb Edward Hay-Plumb (1883 in Norwich, Norfolk – 1960 in Uxbridge, Middlesex) was an English actor and film director. He served as a lieutenant in the West Yorkshire Regiment during World War I. Selected filmography Director * ''Hamlet'' (1913) * ...

as Sailor * John Turnbull as Officer *Wilma Vanne as Cora

References

External links

* 1932 films 1932 comedy films British comedy films Films based on works by Ian Hay Films directed by Albert de Courville Military humor in film British films based on plays Seafaring films Films set in England Films set in Malta Gainsborough Pictures films Films scored by Jack Beaver Films shot at Lime Grove Studios British black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s British films {{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub