William Comes to Town

William Comes to Town
U.S. lobby card
Directed byVal Guest
Written byRichmal Crompton
Val Guest
StarringWilliam Graham
Garry Marsh
Jane Welsh
CinematographyBert Mason
Edited byCarmen Beliaeff
Music byRobert Farnon
Distributed byUnited Artists Corporation
Release date
  • 31 December 1948 (1948-12-31) (London)
Running time
89 minutes
LanguageEnglish

William Comes to Town is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham and Garry Marsh.[1] It was based on the Just William series of novels by Richmal Crompton. It served as a loose sequel to 1947 film Just William's Luck. It is also known by its U.S. alternative title William Goes to the Circus.[2][3]

Plot

William Brown and his gang the Outlaws visit the Prime Minister in Downing Street to demand shorter school hours and better pay for kids. The newspaper publicity caused by their visit lands William and his friends in trouble with their parents. William almost ruins his chances of going to the circus (his parents made him promise to stay out of trouble), but somehow he finally finds his way there.

Cast

  • William Graham - William Brown
  • Garry Marsh - Mr. Brown
  • Jane Welsh - Mrs. Brown
  • Hugh Cross - Robert Brown
  • Kathleen Stuart - Ethel Brown
  • Muriel Aked - Emily, the maid
  • A. E. Matthews - Minister for Economic Affairs
  • Brian Weske - Henry
  • James Crabbe - Douglas
  • Brian Roper - Ginger
  • Michael Balfour - Stall-holder
  • Michael Medwin - Reporter
  • Jon Pertwee - Circus Superintendent
  • David Page - Hubert Lane (as David Paige)
  • Norman Pierce - Police Sergeant
  • Eve Mortimer - Postmistress
  • John Powe - Glazier
  • Mary Vallange - Maid
  • Peter Butterworth - Postman
  • Donald Clive - Ethel's boyfriend
  • John Warren - 2nd Circus official
  • Alan Goford - 1st Circus official
  • Basil Gordon - 3rd Circus official
  • Claude Bonsor - 4th Circus official
  • Ivan Craig - 1st Carter
  • John Martell - 2nd Carter
  • Pinkie Hannaford - Small boy
  • Edward Malin - Toy Shop Man
  • Slim Rhyder - Tramp Cyclist
  • Arthur Stanley - Oldest Inhabitant
  • Irene Jones - Elephant Rider

Critical reception

Allmovie called the film, "one of the better efforts in this off-and-on series."[4]

Reception

Val Guest says the film was "very successful."[3]

References

  1. ^ "William Comes to Town". BFI. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012.
  2. ^ Collins & Ridgman p.107-108
  3. ^ a b Fowler, Roy (1988). "Interview with Val Guest". British Entertainment History Project.
  4. ^ "William Comes to Town (1948) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie.

Bibliography

  • Collins, Fiona & Ridgman, Jeremy. Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media. Peter Lang, 2006.


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