1949 British film by Derek N. Twist
All Over the Town is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Derek N. Twist and starring Norman Wooland, Sarah Churchill and Cyril Cusack.[1] It was written by Michael Gordon and Twist based on the 1947 novel by R. F. Delderfield.
Plot
After serving in the RAF during the Second World War, Nat Hearn returns to his prewar job as a reporter on the Tormouth Clarion. He meets and is attracted to Sally Thorpe, who had replaced him when he enlisted and has been given notice now he has returned. He arranges for her to be kept on and they spend time together and become engaged to marry. Later, Nat becomes a co-owner and editor of the paper, but the other co-owner disagrees with Nat's new editorial policy which often involves upsetting people who provide the paper with much of its advertising revenue. So he arranges for most of the staff to take holiday time-off simultaneously to prevent Nat's opposition to Tormouth council's proposed redevelopment scheme from which some councillors plan to profit personally. Despite this, at a public meeting called by the council, Nat and his small band of supporters manage to convince the locals to support Nat in the dispute.
Cast
Production
All Over the Town was the fourth of five films produced by Wessex Film Productions, a production company founded in 1947 by Ian Dalrymple and Jack Lee, both formerly of the Crown Film Unit.[2] The film was shot in Lyme Regis.[3]
Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The acting for the most part is good, but not outstanding. The satirical comedy and humour are good. Direction and production are adequate and the film has an exciting climax and satisfying ending."[4]
The New York Times described it as a "slow, dogmatic little picture" with a "dog-eared" plot.[5] In The Times, the film's plot was seen as unoriginal, executed "without inspiration or any originality of thought".[6]
Later history
By the beginning of the 21st century, the only known surviving copy of the film was the negative at the BFI National Film and Television Archive. In 2005, the Lyme Regis Film Society commissioned the production of a new print from the negative. This copy of the film is housed in Lyme Regis Museum and was shown at the local Regent Cinema on a few occasions before it burnt down in 2016.[3] Since 2018, the film has been shown on the UK television channel Talking Pictures TV.
References
External links
