Vote for Huggett ** (1949, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Susan Shaw, Petula Clark, David Tomlinson, Diana Dors) – Classic Movie Review 6982

The Huggetts are back in director Ken Annakin’s 1949 British comedy film comic tale of small-town corruption, obviously modelled on gently spoofing the popular American political dramas of the day.

Jack Warner reprises his role as Joe Huggett, the dad of a post-war London family, who decides to stand as a candidate in the local municipal elections against corrupt councillor Mr Hall (Charles Victor).

There is a sub-plot about land needed to build a pleasure garden for a new war memorial, though the nasty Mr Hall has plans of his own for the land. As well as this mild story, there are the typical silly British comedy low-jinks from the pleasing cast, in this second of the Huggett series, after 1948’s Here Come the Huggetts. And that follows their first appearance in Holiday Camp (1947).

It is followed later in 1949 by a final outing, The Huggetts Abroad.

Also in the cast are Kathleen Harrison as Mrs Ethel Huggett, Susan Shaw as Susan Huggett, Petula Clark as Pet Huggett, David Tomlinson as Harold Hinchley, Diana Dors as Diana Gowan, Anthony Newley as Dudley, Peter Hammond as Peter Hawtrey, Amy Veness as Grandma Huggett, Hubert Gregg as Maurice Lever, John Blythe as Gowan, Adrienne Allen as Mrs Hall, Frederick Piper as Bentley, Esma Cannon, Eliot Makeham as Christie, Ferdy Mayne as waiter, Clive Morton as Huggett’s boss Campbell, Norman Shelley as Wilson, Hal Osmond as fishmonger, Lyn Evans as Police Sergeant Pike, Elizabeth Hunt as Mrs Lever, and Nellie Bowman, Empsie Bowman and Isa Bowman as Eccentric Old Ladies.

Vote for Huggett is directed by Ken Annakin, runs 84 minutes, is made by Gainsborough Pictures, is released by General Film Distributors (UK), is written by Mabel Constanduros, Denis Constanduros and Allan MacKinnon, is shot in black and white by Reginald H Wyer, is produced by Betty E Box, and is scored by Antony Hopkins.

Released in February 1949, it took £143,000 at the box office, but The Huggetts Abroad, released perhaps too soon afterwards in May 1949, took only £113,000, spelling doom for the series.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6982

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com