Calling All Stars is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed and written by Herbert Smith and starring Arthur Askey, Evelyn Dall and Max Bacon.[1] The film is a revue, featuring a number of musical acts playing themselves. It was made at Beaconsfield Studios for release as a quota quickie.[2] The film's art direction was by Norman G. Arnold.[3]
| Calling All Stars | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Herbert Smith |
| Written by | Herbert Smith |
| Produced by | Herbert Smith S.W. Smith |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | George Stretton |
| Edited by | Brereton Porter |
| Music by | Carroll Gibbons |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | British Lion Film Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 79 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editAfter a set of master discs is dropped and destroyed, the recording artists are gathered together to re-record their contributions.
Cast
edit- Arthur Askey as waiter
- Bert Ambrose and his ochestra
- Carroll Gibbons and his Savoy Hotel orchestra
- Evelyn Dall
- Max Bacon
- Sam Browne
- Leon Cortez and his Coster Band
- Larry Adler
- Carroll Gibbons
- Allen and Broderick
- Billy Bennett
- Flotsam and Jetsam
- The Nicholas Brothers
- Turner Layton
- The Twelve Aristocrats
- Ethel Revnell
- Gracie West
- Elisabeth Welch
- Buck and Bubbles
- The Whirlwind Skaters
- Eugene Pini and his Orchestra
- Al Craig and His Band
- Three Canadian Bachelors
- Charlotte Arren
- Davy Burnaby as Mr Katz
- Joan Emney as Mrs Bennett
- Leslie Carew as singer, "Eleven More Months"
- Billy "Popeye" Costello
- The Bega Four as acrobatic dancers, "Hungarian'" club
- Doreen Harris as singer with Leon Cortez band
Reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Cutting is rather spasmodic and the continual appearances of Flotsam and Jetsam demanded better material; as it is, they are apt to pall. ... The story is undiscernible, but the stars are the attraction."[4]
Variety wrote: "With but the flimsiest excuse to envelope the aggregation, this production is practically a photographed version of the acts offered by a number of pop stars of vaude and radio ... fans of each particular act will lap it up. With so many of the names natives of the U.S., there's no reason why it shouldn't register there, too. But with the general run of picturegoers the lack of a story will militate against its success."[5]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Spasmodically entertaining review."[6]
References
edit- ^ "Calling All Stars". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Chibnall, Steve. (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 287. ISBN 978-1844571550.
- ^ "Calling all Stars (1937)". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Calling All Stars". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 4 (37): 141. 1 January 1937 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Calling All Stars". Variety. 126 (1): 15. 17 March 1937 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 45. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
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