''Old Mother Riley's Ghosts'' is a 1941 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 o ...

directed by John Baxter and starring

Arthur Lucan Arthur Lucan (born Arthur Towle; 16 September 1885 – 17 May 1954) was an English actor who performed the drag act Old Mother Riley on stage, radio and screen, with a series of comedy films from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Early life ...

Kitty McShane Kathleen "Kitty" McShane (19 May 1897 – 24 March 1964) was an Irish actress, best known as the wife and acting partner of Arthur Lucan, with whom she appeared in a series of ''Old Mother Riley'' stage shows and films from the 1930s to the ...

and John Stuart. It was the 8th in the long-running

Old Mother Riley Old Mother Riley is a fictional character portrayed from about 1934 to 1954 by Arthur Lucan and from 1954 to the 1980s by Roy Rolland as part of a British music hall act. Old Mother Riley (full comedy name: Daphne Bluebell Snowdrop Riley) is a ...

series. Old Mother Riley inherits a castle in Scotland, but it appears to be haunted.

Plot summary

Old Mother Riley inherits a Scottish property, believing it, at first, to be a pub, and makes the journey up north with her daughter, Kitty. They are surprised to find themselves in possession of a haunted castle, though it turns out the ghouls and ghosties are not what they seem. They are in fact an ingenious front for an espionage ring anxious to get their hands on an inventor's plans, and trying to scare intruders away. After vigorous attempts to scare Mother Riley out of her wits, the Irish washerwoman ends up turning the tables on the spies, and terrifying them in return.

Cast

... Mrs. Riley *

... Kitty Riley * John Stuart ... John Cartwright * A. Bromley Davenport ... Warrender * Dennis Wyndham ... Jem *

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 ...

... McAdam *

Peter Gawthorne Peter Gawthorne (1 September 1884 – 17 March 1962) was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of Will Hay and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-up ...

... Mr. Cartwright

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program TV listings, listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine, TV Guide Mag ...

'' wrote, "sure to garner a couple of hearty laughs...Some fun "scares" (a knight whose head flies off) help pass the time."

References

External links

* 1941 films 1941 comedy films 1940s English-language films Films directed by John Baxter British comedy films Films set in London British black-and-white films Films shot at British National Studios 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-comedy-film-stub