Aunt Sally (film)

Aunt Sally
Directed by	Tim Whelan
Written by	Guy Bolton Austin Melford A. R. Rawlinson Tim Whelan
Produced by	Michael Balcon
Starring	Cicely Courtneidge Sam Hardy Phyllis Clare Hartley Power
Cinematography	Charles Van Enger
Edited by	Derek N. Twist
Music by	Harry M. Woods
Production company	Gainsborough Pictures
Distributed by	Gaumont British Distributors
Release date	December 1933 (1933-12)
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Aunt Sally is a 1933 British musical comedy film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Cicely Courtneidge, Sam Hardy and Phyllis Clare. The film was made by Gainsborough Pictures at their Islington Studios,^[1] and released in the U.S. as Along Came Sally.^[2]

Premise

An American impresario trying to set up his new show in London tries to fend off an enthusiastic English performer's attempts to get in his show. She eventually tricks him into giving her the lead part by disguising herself as a French star.

Cast

• Cicely Courtneidge as Sally Bird / Mademoiselle Zaza
• Sam Hardy as Michael 'King' Kelly
• Phyllis Clare as Queenie Mills
• Billy Milton as Billy
• Hartley Power as 'Gloves' Clark
• Ben Welden as Casino
• Enrico Naldi as Little Joe
• Ann Hope as Joan
• Ivor McLaren as Madison
• Rex Evans as Percy
• Tubby Cipin as Tubby
• Leslie Holmes as Night Club Singer
• Debroy Somers as Bandleader
• The Three Admirals as Night Club Act
• Carlyle Cousins as Night Club Act

Critical reception

The New York Times found Cicely Courtneidge "not nearly as hilarious as most of the characters in "Along Came Sally" seem to believe," the reviewer concluding that the film has "several fair songs, an equal number of laughs and some dance routines that unsuccessfully ape the grand Hollywood manner";^[3] whereas more recently, the Radio Times noted "A vehicle for the irrepressible comedienne and musical comedy star Cicely Courtneidge," calling it, a "good-natured and thoroughly silly little British musical," and concluding, "this is a romp for addicts of 1930s English nostalgia who will enjoy the numbers performed by such forgotten acts of the time."^[4]

References

1. Cook p.184
2. "Along Came Sally (1934) - Notes - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
3. "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. 4 November 2021.
4. "Aunt Sally – review - cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.

Bibliography

• Cook, Pam. Gainsborough Pictures. Cassell, 1997.

External links

• Aunt Sally at IMDb