The Middle Watch (1940 film)
Encyclopedia
The Middle Watch is a 1940
British
, black-and-white
, comedy film
, directed by Thomas Bentley
and starring Ronald Shiner
as the Ship's Mechanic or Engineer, Jack Buchanan
, Greta Gynt
, Fred Emney
and Kay Walsh
. It was produced
by Associated British Picture Corporation
. It was based on a play by Ian Hay and Clifford Grey
which had been adapted in 1930
.
features battleship Captain Maitland (Jack Buchanan
) celebrating a bon voyage
party. He later discovers 2 stowaway, attractive young women, but much too late to turn back. Despite the Captain's efforts to hide them, they are soon discovered, with predictable consequences.
1940 in film
The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
British
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
, black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
, comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed by Thomas Bentley
Thomas Bentley
Thomas Bentley was a British film director. He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, The Man in the Street , The Antidote , and Acci-Dental Treatment .Bentley was born in London and originally trained as an engineer,...
and starring Ronald Shiner
Ronald Shiner
Ronald Alfred Shiner was a British stand-up comedian and comedic actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall.-Career:...
as the Ship's Mechanic or Engineer, Jack Buchanan
Jack Buchanan
Walter John "Jack" Buchanan was a British theatre and film actor, singer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by The Times as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in...
, Greta Gynt
Greta Gynt
Greta Gynt , born Margrethe Woxholt, was a Norwegian singer, dancer and actress. -Biography:Greta Gynt was born Margrethe Woxholt in Oslo, Norway. As a child, she came with her parents to England and started dancing lessons at the age of 5. Eventually, they moved back to Norway...
, Fred Emney
Fred Emney
Frederick Arthur Round "Fred" Emney was an English character actor and comedian.Emney was born in Lancashire, the son of Blanche and Fred Emney , a music hall entertainer. His uncle was the actor Arthur Williams. Emney junior grew up in London.He made his film debut in 1935, having previously...
and Kay Walsh
Kay Walsh
Kay Walsh was an English actress and dancer. She grew up in Pimlico, raised by her grandmother....
. It was produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
by Associated British Picture Corporation
Associated British Picture Corporation
Associated British Picture Corporation , originally British International Pictures , was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970...
. It was based on a play by Ian Hay and Clifford Grey
Clifford Grey
Clifford Grey was an English songwriter, actor, librettist and Olympic medalist. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray, Tippi Gray, Tippi Grey, Tippy Gray and Tippy Grey.As a writer, Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Broadway shows, as librettist and...
which had been adapted in 1930
The Middle Watch (1930 film)
The Middle Watch is a 1930 British comedy film directed by Norman Walker and starring Owen Nares, Jacqueline Logan, Jack Raine and Dodo Watts...
.
Synopsis
This comedy filmComedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
features battleship Captain Maitland (Jack Buchanan
Jack Buchanan
Walter John "Jack" Buchanan was a British theatre and film actor, singer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by The Times as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in...
) celebrating a bon voyage
Bon Voyage
Bon voyage is a French phrase borrowed into English meaning, literally, "good journey", and usually translated as meaning "have a good trip".Bon voyage may also refer to:-Film and television:...
party. He later discovers 2 stowaway, attractive young women, but much too late to turn back. Despite the Captain's efforts to hide them, they are soon discovered, with predictable consequences.
Cast
- Jack BuchananJack BuchananWalter John "Jack" Buchanan was a British theatre and film actor, singer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by The Times as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in...
- Captain Maitland - Greta GyntGreta GyntGreta Gynt , born Margrethe Woxholt, was a Norwegian singer, dancer and actress. -Biography:Greta Gynt was born Margrethe Woxholt in Oslo, Norway. As a child, she came with her parents to England and started dancing lessons at the age of 5. Eventually, they moved back to Norway...
Mary Carlton - Fred EmneyFred EmneyFrederick Arthur Round "Fred" Emney was an English character actor and comedian.Emney was born in Lancashire, the son of Blanche and Fred Emney , a music hall entertainer. His uncle was the actor Arthur Williams. Emney junior grew up in London.He made his film debut in 1935, having previously...
- Admiral Sir Reginald Hewett - Kay WalshKay WalshKay Walsh was an English actress and dancer. She grew up in Pimlico, raised by her grandmother....
- Fay Featon - David HutchesonDavid Hutcheson-Selected filmography:* The Sky's the Limit * A Gentleman's Gentleman * The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp * Theatre Royal * School for Secrets * Sleeping Car to Trieste * Woman Hater...
- Commander Baddeley - Leslie FullerLeslie FullerLeslie Fuller was a British comedy film actor. He was married to the actress Nancy Bates.Albert Leslie Fuller was born in 1888 at 14 Pollard Row, Bethnal Green, London, although many biographies wrongly state Margate, as he had a lifelong association with this seaside town. His father was Albert...
- Marine Ogg - Bruce SetonBruce SetonMajor Sir Bruce Lovat Seton of Abercorn, 11th Baronet , better known as Bruce Seton, was a British actor and soldier....
- Captain Randall - Martita HuntMartita HuntMartita Hunt was an English theatre and film actress.-Early life:Hunt was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 30 January 1900 to British parents Alfred and Marta Hunt...
- Lady Elizabeth Hewett - Louise HamptonLouise Hampton-Selected filmography:* Nine Till Six * His Lordship Goes to Press * Goodbye, Mr. Chips * The House of the Arrow * Bedelia * Scrooge * Background -External links:...
- Charlotte Hopkinson - Romney BrentRomney BrentRomney Brent was a Mexican-born actor, director and dramatist. Most of his career was on stage in North America, but in the 1930s he was frequently seen on the London stage, on television and in films.-Biography:...
- Ah Fong - Jean GillieJean GillieJean Gillie was an English film actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Gillie appeared in 20 British and two American films before her career was cut short by her early death.-Career:...
- Betty Hewettt - Ronald ShinerRonald ShinerRonald Alfred Shiner was a British stand-up comedian and comedic actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall.-Career:...
- the Ship's Mechanic or Engineer - Reginald PurdellReginald PurdellReginald Purdell was an English actor and screenwriter who appeared in over 40 films between 1930 and 1951...
- Corporal Duckett