''Laburnum Grove'' is a 1936 British

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for '' Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), '' The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded th ...

and starring

Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won t ...

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned over 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and hi ...

and Victoria Hopper. It was based on the 1933 play of the same name written by J. B. Priestley. Gwenn, Ethel Coleridge, Francis James, James Harcourt and David Hawthorne all repeated their roles from the play's original 1933-34 West End production, which had been directed by Hardwicke.

Plot summary

To rid himself of his sponging relatives a man tells them he is really a forger which causes them to leave. His wife believes he is joking, but he has in fact allowed the truth to slip out and now he is in danger of being arrested.

Cast

as Mr. Radfern *

as Mr. Baxley * Victoria Hopper as Elsie Radfern * Ethel Coleridge as Mrs. Baxley * Katie Johnson as Mrs. Radfern * Francis James as Harold Russ * James Harcourt as Joe Fletten * David Hawthorne as Inspector Stack * Frederick Burtwell as Simpson

Novelisation

In 1936, Heinemann, London issued, in hardcover, ''J. B. Priestley's Laburnum Grove'' "based on the famous stage play & film" by Ruth Holland. This book marked the second 'collaboration' between Holland and Priestley, as she had three years before novelised his play '' Dangerous Corner''. Ms. Holland was at the time known for at least one work of popular contemporary fiction of her own, ''The Lost Generation'', a wartime novel. She was also, by way of Priestley's second marriage, his sister-in-law.

Reception

Writing for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...

'' in 1936,

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...

gave the film a good review, noting that "here at last is an English film one can unreservedly praise". Greene characterized the film as "thoroughly workmanlike and unpretentious", and praised director Reed for his difficult and successful adaptation of Priestley's original play. (reprinted in: )

References

Bibliography

* Evans, Peter William. ''Carol Reed''. Manchester University Press, 2005.

External links

* * 1936 films 1936 comedy films British comedy films Films directed by Carol Reed British films based on plays Films set in London Associated Talking Pictures Films based on works by J. B. Priestley British black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s British films English-language comedy films Films scored by Ernest Irving {{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub