Top of the Form (film)
| Top of the Form | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Original British quad poster | |
| Directed by | John Paddy Carstairs |
| Produced by | Paul Soskin |
| Written by |
John Paddy Carstairs Patrick Kirwan Ted Willis Sid Colin (additional dialogue) |
| Based on |
original story by Anthony Kimmins Val Guest Leslie Arliss Marriott Edgar |
| Starring | Ronald Shiner |
| Music by | Ronald Hanmer |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Alfred Roome |
Production company |
Paul Soskin Productions (for) British Film-Makers |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors (UK) |
Release dates | February 1953 (UK) |
Running time | 72 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Top of the Form is a 1953 British, Technicolor, drama, farcical, historical film, directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ronald Shiner in a Sergeant Bilko role 'Professor' Ronnie Fortescue [1] and Ronnie Corbett as the Student (uncredited).[2] The film draws inspiration from Will Hay's 1937 classic Good Morning, Boys.[3]
The film earned billings of ₤143,000.[4]
Plot summary
This comedic historical drama story explores a bookmaker Ronnie Fortescue (Ronald Shiner), who becomes headmaster of a boys' school, and of his and his pupil's adventures in passing examinations and on a subsequent free trip to Paris. Once in Paris, headmaster and pupils become embroiled in gambling casinos, and in a plot to steal the Mona Lisa.
Cast
- Professor Ronnie Fortescue - Ronald Shiner
- Percy - Anthony Newley
- Albert - Harry Fowler
- Yvette - Jacqueline Pierreux
- Arty Jones - Alfie Bass
- Mrs. Bagshot - Mary Jerrold
- Willoughby Gore - Richard Wattis
- Dickson - Howard Marion-Crawford
- Terence - Roland Curram
- Clarence - Terence Mitchell
- Pugley - Gerald Campion
- Septimus - Oscar Quitak
- The Dean - Kynaston Reeves
- Cliquet - Martin Benson
Critical reception
The Radio Times called it a "misfiring Ronald Shiner vehicle...Less amusing than (Will) Hay's St Michael's outings and less anarchic than the St Trinian's romps, this efficient but underwhelming caper is all too typical of its director, John Paddy Carstairs":[3] whereas TV Guide hailed "An entertaining comedy."[5]
References
- ↑ http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8acd28
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046444/fullcredits#cast
- 1 2 http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cbz7w/top-of-the-form
- ↑ BFI Collections: Michael Balcon Papers H3 reprinted in British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference By Sue Harper, Vincent Porter p 41
- ↑ http://www.tvguide.com/movies/top-of-the-form/review/120982/
External links
- Top of the Form at AllMovie
- Top of the Form at the British Film Institute's Film and TV Database
- Top of the Form at the Internet Movie Database