Get Cracking
Get Cracking is a 1943 British comedy war film, directed by Marcel Varnel starring George Formby, with Dinah Sheridan and Ronald Shiner.[1] It was produced by Marcel Varnel and Ben Henry for Columbia (British) Productions, a subsidiary of the American studio.Not one of Formby's strongest or funniest efforts, the film opens like a World War Two documentary with a narrator explaining the action, before settling down to a more traditional Formby vehicle with some WW II propaganda thrown in. The special effects are quite good.
Synopsis
This comedy explores the wayward rivalry between mechanic and Home Guard lance corporal George Singleton (George Formby) and an adversary also in the Home Guard (Ronald Shiner). When the rival Home Guard units of Major Wallop and Minor Wallop are sent on battle manoeuvres, George Singleton (Formby) launches his own unique style of commando raid against neighbouring Major Wallop to steal a Vickers machine gun. The raid fails and Singleton loses his lance corporal's stripe, so he and a little evacuee girl named Irene (Vera Frances) decide to fall back on 'Plan B' - to build their very own tank. The venture is such a success that George is made a sergeant. As usual, Ronald Shiner's character (Everett Manley) plays a decisive role.
The film included three songs from Formby: 'Under the Blasted Oak', 'Home Guard Blues' and 'Get Cracking'.
Production
Released on 17 May 1943 and running at 96 minutes in black and white, the film was written by L. du Garde Peach, Michael Vaughan and John L. Arthur, while the songs were written by George Formby with Fred Godfrey, Fred E. Cliffe and Eddie Latta.
Cast list
- George Formby as George Singleton -
- Dinah Sheridan as Mary Pemberton
- Edward Rigby as Sam Elliott
- Frank Pettingell as Alf Pemberton
- Ronald Shiner as Everett Manley
- Wally Patch as Sergeant Joe Preston
- Mike Johnson as Josh
- Irene Handl as Maggie Turner
- Vera Frances as Irene
- Frank Atkinson as Station Master
- Ben Williams as Home Guard
- Harry Fowler (Uncredited)
- E. V. H. Emmett as Narrator (uncredited)
References
External links
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- 1943 films
- 1940s comedy films
- 1940s war films
- British black-and-white films
- British films
- British comedy films
- British war films
- English-language films
- Films directed by Marcel Varnel
- Films produced by Marcel Varnel
- Columbia Pictures films
- British World War II propaganda films
- World War II films made in wartime
- 1940s British comedy film stubs
- War film stubs