Ha'penny Breeze is a 1950 black and white British film directed by Frank Worth and starring Edwin Richfield, Don Sharp and Gwynneth Vaughan.[4] It was the first writing credit for Sharp who also appears as an actor.[5]
Plot
David King and his Australian friend Johnny return to a Suffolk coastal village after the Second World War to find the community completely dispirited.
His mother had told him that his father had died during his absence, but not that the family boat-building business had closed. His father was also the mayor, but no-one has been elected in his place.
They have little luck encouraging the locals to rejoin them in the boatyard, but set about a project of converting one of their old boats into a pleasure yacht. However, this does little to encourage the old workers as they view yachts as "parasite" crafts in relation to the fishing vessels formerly made. Nevertheless, they determine to enter the as yet unfinished yacht, Allana, into a race. Only when they see her in sail do they start to gain interest.
However, when a new friend, Richard Martin, joins their circle, the villagers start to talk, as they know his name. Richard has a rival yacht, Moonraker. He says if Allana wins the race he will place an order with the boatyard.
David's sister Joan is romanced by Johnny and becomes part of the crew, but during the race she falls overboard and they lose the race stopping to rescue her. Richard wins the race but is chastised for not stopping to help.
The film was an idea of Australians Don Sharp and Frank Worth who met in England. Sharp was appearing in the play Cage Me a Peacock with Conyers and Richfield.[6] They were inspired by low budget films being made in Italy on location, which saved money by not using sets or stars. They decided to find a location and write a script around it. Conyers had an old sailing cutter at Pin Mill and suggested that as a location.[1]
Sharp and Worth wrote the story together over a three-month period. They formed their own production company with Conyers and succeeded in raising finance with William Freshman attached as executive producer.[7] The bulk of the money came from George N. Gregory who sold his Leeds auction business to help finance. Conyers financed with some of his fee from appearing in a play. Filming took place in October 1949.[1][8]
Associated British Pathe offered to distribute on the understanding that everyone would be paid ten pounds a week. A Leeds auctioneer chipped in a few thousand pounds and the filmmakers provided money themselves.[9][10] When Associated British saw the film they covered the cost of the movie.[11]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This is a worthy attempt by a new British company to make an independent, inexpensive film (without, incidentally, the help of the Film Finance Corporation). The story is simple, naive and not too well constructed, but its backgrounds are authentic and attractive. The photography is good, and the whole film has a pleasant freshness."[13]
The Scotsman said the film had "too much of the naivete and the emotion of the amateur shine through [...] often the dialogue is trite and for most of the film the tempo is depressingly perambulatory" but praised the "camera's mobility and many a good character sketch by" the actors.[14]
Kine Weekly said "Fresh, uninhibited and disarmingly ingenuous regional romantic drama. The acting of the young players and the "locals" is eager, and the backgrounds are both picturesque and authentic.Its integrity and sincerity amply atone for a somewhat untidy script. Essentially English, good humoured and thrilling, it should please on most double bills."[16]
References
^ abc'Ha' penny Breeze' is an £8,000 weather gamble
Author: Ronald Downing Date: Saturday, Oct. 15, 1949 p 5
Publication: Daily Mail (London, England)
^"Disorderly Conduct". Kalgoorlie Miner. Vol. 56, no. 15, 793. Western Australia. 17 October 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 28 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Ha'penny Breeze". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
^Sharp, Don (2 November 1993). "Don Sharp Side 2" (Interview). Interviewed by Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson. London: History Project. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
^"Fame—but no funds". The Mail. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 November 1950. p. 27. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
