Moviecut—Trouble Brewing

source: Trouble Brewing

A newspaper printer (George Formby) dreams of becoming a private detective and invents a special indelible ink that he uses to try and catch a gang of counterfeiters. A lively Formby vehicle with plenty of energy throughout and some great moments that help the movie motor along well. Includes a handful of songs including 'Hitting the Highspots Now' and 'Fanlight Fanny'. Googie Withers is great as the love interest in one of two Formby films she appeared in and, rumour has it the pair shared a real kiss in a vat of beer so as Formby's wife Beryl didn't find out.

There are three songs in this George Fornlmby evening comedy, different lyrics but with him playing his ukulele, and while they are enjoyable, they are almost exactly the same. Harmless, silly little farce has mild mannered clerk Formby working along with Google Withers on a forgery case when they attempt to become private detectives. They encounter a bunch of odd characters (although not as odd as the helium voiced Formby), and he ends up in a boxing ring with someone three times his size, winning by default. A silly society matron appears to have mood swings when he all of a sudden appears in her boudoir, going from welcoming him to being aghast to just plain nutty. Formby was so childlike in his methods of humor that he was more popular with children. Of the three late 30's British comics, I prefer Arthur Askey over Formby and Tommy Trinder. Formby reminds me of Joe Penner, an American radio, who made a handful of films in the 1930's and early 40s. Funny in small doses, but when he dominates a film, it's like being stranded on "Gilligan's Island" where all of the castaways have taken on Gilligan's personality. He's a reason why "less is more" was invented as a phrase concerning certain styles of humor.

One of my favorite Formby movies, this one is a riot of laughs and thrills from beginning to end, with George himself not only in fine form but heading a really distinguished cast that includes Googie Withers and Gus McNaughton. Oddly the excellent Studio Canal DVD also alerts us to the presence of Ronald Shiner, despite the fact that Shiner's role is not only small but totally out of character. Shiner plays one of the crooks, but it's a serious, not a comedy part and Shiner himself is not on screen for more than three minutes. But don't let Shiner's shiner hold you back from purchasing the excellent Studio Canal DVD. Lavishly produced by Jack Kitchin and directed at an admirably fast pace by Anthony Kimmins, Trouble Brewing is first class entertainment from first to last. And it's now available, as said above, on an excellent Studio Canal DVD.

I don't quite know why, but this is one of my favourite George Formby films. I mean, the experts would have us believe they were all the same anyway, same plot, same characters, same scenes, same production and even the same song. So this shouldn't be any different from the rest but somehow is, so I'm afraid that I can't make the grade as Critic. Fake money is being passed and so on their own initiative George and Gus go off in pursuit of the perps, at first in the wrong direction to pad the film out a bit, but eventually get on the right track. On the way George gets to mime along to 3 songs (the best being the especially salacious Fanlight Fanny sung to the 2 highly amused kitchen staff), slide down innumerable bannisters, is chased back and forth by either goodies or baddies etc, all without a moments let-up. Googie Withers was an extremely demure and decorative assistant, who should have played a much larger part had Beryl allowed. But George still managed to get to give her a kiss! Garry Marsh and Ronald Shiner were there as usual in sterling (genuine) support. What a race were the pre-WW2 English (it's not allowed anymore to call the English a race in PC UK) as portrayed in Formby's films. It took the demobbed soldiers at the end of the War to finally put an end to this kind of harmless nonsense, in favour of more realism. Give me escapism any day!

I bought the Studio Canal DVD as a Christmas present to myself as it was the only one of George Formby's films (from the original Ealing series) that I did not have in my collection. The disc offers a beautiful print presumably from a pristine vault print and once I started watching the film, I realised that I did not remember it at all from the last time I saw it in the early 1960s on Granada TV, introduced by George himself. With 3 terrific songs, the usual Formby stock company in supporting roles and Googie Withers a better leading lady than most of George's very posh girl friends, the film is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. The pace is frenetic and handled superbly by director Kimmins and I think this, of all Formby's films, shows what a terrific physical comedian he really was. I did not spot any obvious doubling for his many stunts (check the way he slides down stairs, something he must have learned from watching Chaplin) and the Wrestling match is just priceless! Audiences (especially children) must have loved this frolic back in 1939, just a few months before the outbreak of war would change British cinema forever and render such a harmless farce obsolete forever. Highly recommended, not only for Formby Fans but for all lovers of great slapstick screen comedy.

I strongly disagree with the previous comment. Firstly, the 3 songs are top notch - "Horoscope", "Hitting the Highspots Now", and the classic "Fanlight Fanny" - all fantastic George Formby tracks. The movie is quite entertaining with many funny moments. Gus McNaughton is almost a joint star with George in this film, as together they both try to uncover the counterfeiters after their racing winnings have been switched for "slush" money. It turns into quite a farce, and becomes quite compelling (the things that these guys go through uncover the criminals are brilliantly far fetched). I recommend this film to anyone who likes George Formby, you won't be disappointed.

One of Formby's very best has George working in the printing department for a major London newspaper. Counterfeit notes are spreading around and George and his partner Bill take it upon themselves to solve the crime. The songs aren't as good as they are in usual Formby films but the film is very well written and is very funny. Anyone who likes Ealing comedies will love this. It's champion!

George Formby was brought to Ealing Studios by Basil Dean.His first film "No Limit" struck gold.Formbys film character was refined ,and as a result he was top of the UK box office from 1938 to 1943.Dean is shown as producer of many of the films but in fact he had set up a special unit for Formby which churned out his films to a successful formula.It is quite clear from his autobiography,that Dean had no real affection for Formby and a positive loathing for Beryl.She was on the set for every take.In fact it is probably Beryl who actually deserves much of the credit for his success.This film works to the standard formula,with 3 very catchy songs,winning the girl and catching the crooks in the end.He is given very solid support by Gus McNaughton.Formby was no great film actor,and one suspects that the reason for McNaughton having such a big role was to carry much of the comedic business which was rather above Formbys capabilities.It is a reasonably entertaining film.