The Strangers Came

The Strangers Came
The Strangers Came
	Original trade ad
Directed by	Alfred Travers
Written by	Tom Duggan; Alfred Healy; Alfred Travers;
Produced by	Roger Proudlock; Nigel Proudlock; Michael Healy;
Starring	Tommy Duggan; Shirl Conway; Shamus Locke;
Cinematography	Cyril Arapoff
Edited by	Ernest Hilton
Music by	Eamonn O'Gallagher
Production; company	Vandyke Productions
Distributed by	Grand National Pictures
Release date	December 1949;
Running time	67 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Strangers Came (also known as You Can't Fool an Irishman) is a 1949 British second feature ('B')^[1] comedy film directed by Alfred Travers and starring Tommy Duggan, Shirl Conway and Shamus Locke.^[2] It was written by Duggan, Alfred Healy and Travers and made by Vandyke Productions.^[3]

Plot

A self-important American filmmaker goes to a small Irish village with plans to make a movie about the life of St Patrick.

Cast

Tommy Duggan as Stefan Wurlitz
Shirl Conway as Jane McDonald
Shamus Locke as Tom O'Flaherty
Tony Quinn as hotelier
Reed De Rouen as manager
Eve Eacott as Donna del Monte
Josephine Fitzgerald as widow McDermott
Sheila Martin as Mary Laffey
Geoffrey Goodheart as Joe Bantham

Production

Some of the film was shot on location in Ireland.^[4]

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The theme has possibilities which are not fulfilled due to the script's feeble attempts at wit, and amateurish acting by minor members of the cast. A very poor relation of Whisky Galore."^[5]

Variety wrote: "Imported from Eire, You Can't Fool An Irishman burlesques Hollywood in an amateurish way. The comedy is broad and the situations occasionally reminiscent of Mack Sennett. Picture offers little for general U. S. release, but may eke out a fair return if carefully marketed in Hibernian neighborhoods."^[6]