''Alf's Button'' is a 1930 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 W. P. Kellino and starring Tubby Edlin,

Alf Goddard Frank Henry "Alf" Goddard (28 November 1897 in Brentford, Middlesex – 25 February 1981 in Ealing, London) was an English film actor. Brother of a famous boxer, Alf Goddard was once a boxer too. He was also a trained athlete and a professiona ...

and

Nora Swinburne Leonora Mary Johnson (24 July 1902 – 1 May 2000), known professionally as Nora Swinburne, was an English actress who appeared in many British films. Early years Swinburne was born in Bath, Somerset, the daughter of Henry Swinburne Johnson a ...

. It is an adaptation of the 1920 novel '' Alf's Button'' by

William Aubrey Darlington William Aubrey Cecil Darlington or W.A. Darlington (1890–1979), was a British writer and journalist who worked for many years as the drama critic of the ''Daily Telegraph'' newspaper. Life and career Darlington was primarily a journalist, worki ...

. The film features some singing and dancing sequences in an early colour process, which is believed to be

Pathécolor Pathécolor, later renamed Pathéchrome, was an early mechanical stencil-based film tinting process for movies developed by Segundo de Chomón for Pathé in the early 20th century. Among the last feature films to use this process were the British ...

Premise

A Cockney soldier discovers that a button on his uniform was made from Aladdin's lamp. When rubbed, the button grants wishes.

Cast

* Tubby Edlin as Alf Higgins *

as Bill Grant *

as Lady Isobel Fitzpeter *

Polly Ward Polly Ward (born Byno Poluski; 30 June 1912–23 February 1987) was a British singer and actress. Filmography * '' The Marriage Business'' (1927) * '' Alf's Button'' (1930) * '' Harmony Heaven'' (1930) * '' His Lordship'' (1932) * '' Kentucky Mi ...

as Liz *

Humberston Wright Humbertson Wright (1876 in London, England, UK – 1953), sometimes credited as Humberstone Wright or Humberston H. Wright, was a British film actor. Filmography * '' Trapped by the London Sharks'' (1916) * '' Thelma'' (1918) * '' The Secre ...

as Eustace the genie *

Annie Esmond Annie Esmond (27 September 1873 – 4 January 1945) was a British stage and film actress. Esmond was born in Surrey, England. She made her stage debut in pantomime in Sheffield in 1891 and later appeared on the American as well as British stage ...

as Mrs. Gaskins * Gypsy Rhouma as Lucy *

Peter Haddon Peter Haddon (31 March 1898 – 7 September 1962) was an English actor. Personal life Haddon was born Peter Haddon Tildsley in Rawtenstall, Lancashire. He was the son of Alfred and Mary Tildsley and he had a brother, Vincent Harvey (1894), a ...

as Lieutenant Allen *

Cyril McLaglen Cyril McLaglen (1899–1987) was a British actor who appeared in a variety of films between 1920 and 1951. He was born in London in 1899 and made his film debut in the 1920 film ''The Call of the Road''. He was the younger brother of the acto ...

as Sergeant Major * Bruce Winston as Mustapha * Spencer Trevor as Lord Dunwater * Anton Dolin *

Merle Oberon Merle Oberon (born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson; 19 February 191123 November 1979) was a British actress who began her film career in British films as Anne Boleyn in ''The Private Life of Henry VIII'' (1933). After her success in ''The Scarle ...

* Jimmy Nervo * Teddy Knox

Preservation status

This film is believed to be held at the British Film Institute in London.

References

Bibliography

*David R. Sutton, ''A Chorus of Raspberries: British Film Comedy 1929–1939'' (

University of Exeter Press University of Exeter Press (UEP) is the academic press of the University of Exeter, England. In 2013, Liverpool University Press Liverpool University Press (LUP), founded in 1899, is the third oldest university press in England after Oxford ...

, 2000)

External links