Penny Paradise *** (1938, Edmund Gwenn, Betty Driver, Jimmy O’Dea, Maire O’Neill) – Classic Movie Review 9185

Director Carol Reed’s 1938 comedy Penny Paradise stars Edmund Gwenn, who is a charmer as Joe Higgins, the Liverpool tugboat skipper who gambles a weekly sixpence on the football pools. One week he has a winning line and celebrates a jackpot, but then finds out that his buddy and first mate Pat (Jimmy O’Dea) has forgotten to post the coupon and has not sent in the winning entry. Comedic chaos results.

Director Reed puts fresh gloss on a faded, over-familiar story in a pleasant comedy drama, motored by Gwenn’s typically ingratiating turn. Coronation Street’s Betty Driver plays Gwenn’s daughter, Betty Higgins, who is chased by a gold-digging creep, whom Gwenn sees off. Maire O’Neill plays the widow whom Gwenn is courting till they fall out.

The acting, atmosphere and handling are first-rate throughout, producing a highly pleasurable British vintage movie experience.

Also in the cast are Jack Livesey, Ethel Coleridge, Syd Crossley, Lloyd Pearson, James Harcourt, Billy Russell and Frederick Burtwell.

Betty Driver MBE played Betty Williams (previously Betty Turpin) on the British soap Coronation Street from 1969 to 2011, appearing in 1,590 episodes. She died on October 15, 2011 aged 91. Her film debut was in Boots! Boots! in 1934 opposite George Formby. She celebrated her 18th birthday while shooting the film on 20 May 1938, finding the crew had filled her dressing room to the ceiling with flowers.

Penny Paradise is directed by Carol Reed, runs 72 minutes, is made by Associated Talking Pictures, is released by Associated British Film Distributors (1938) (UK), is written by Thomas Thompson (dialogue and scenario), Walter L Meade (dialogue and scenario), Thomas Browne (dialogue and scenario) and Basil Dean (story suggestion), is shot by Gordon Dines and Ronald Neame, is produced by Basil Dean and Jack Kitchin, is scored by Ernest Irving (music arranger/ musical director), Harry O’Donovan (lyrics, music: songs) and Harry Parr Davies (lyrics, music: songs), and is designed by Wilfred Shingleton. Basil Dearden is assistant director.

It was filmed at  Ealing Studios, London.

The Ealing Studios Rarities Collection Volume 1 DVD contains ESCAPE! (1930), WEST OF ZANZIBAR (1954), PENNY PARADISE (1938) and CHEER UP! (1936).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9185

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