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| music =
| music =
| cinematography = [[George Heath]]
| cinematography = [[George Heath]]
| editing =
| editing = William Shepherd
| studio = [[Cinesound Productions]]
| studio = [[Cinesound Productions]]
| released = 1938
| released = 1938
| runtime =
| runtime = 79 mins
| country = Australia
| country = Australia
| language = English
| language = English
Line 23: Line 23:


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The plot concerns a man, Joe (Wallace), who works as an odd job man at a boarding house and is in love with Molly ([[Gwen Munro]]). He hears that he has inherited a fortune but then discovers it isn't true. Distraught and feeling down and heart, he decides to commit suicide and offers to leave all his possessions to a gangster, Zilch (Harry Abdy), if he will arrange a painless death. The next day Joe finds out his inheritance is genuine and wants to live, but Zilch is determined to carry out his mission.
The plot concerns a man, Joe (Wallace), who works as an odd job man at a boarding house and is in love with Molly ([[Gwen Munro]]). He hears that he has inherited a fortune but then discovers it isn't true. Distraught and feeling down and heart, he decides to commit suicide and offers to leave all his possessions to a gangster, Zilch (Harry Abdy), if he will arrange a painless death. The next day Joe finds out his inheritance is genuine and wants to live, but Zilch is determined to carry out his mission. The climax involves a wild speedboat chase across Sydney harbour.


==Production==
==Production==
⚫
On this film, as with most Cinesound comedies of the late 1930s, Hall employed a team of comedy writers to help with the script along with credited screenwriters Wallace and [[Frank Harvey (Australian screenwriter)|Frank Harvey]]. This consisted of Hall, cartoonist [[Jim Bancks]]<ref>[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bancks-james-charles-jim-5119 Jim Bancks] at [[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]</ref>, Bill Maloney and [[Hal Carleton]].<ref>Ken G. Hall, ''Directed by Ken G. Hall'', Lansdowne Press, 1977 p 142</ref>
===Scripting===
⚫
On this film, as with most Cinesound comedies of the late 1930s, Hall employed a team of comedy writers to help with the script along with credited screenwriters Wallace and [[Frank Harvey (Australian screenwriter)|Frank Harvey]]. This consisted of Hall, cartoonist [[Jim Bancks]]<ref>[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bancks-james-charles-jim-5119 Jim Bancks] at [[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]</ref>, Bill Maloney and Hal Carleton.<ref>Ken G. Hall, ''Directed by Ken G. Hall'', Lansdowne Press, 1977 p 142</ref>


===Casting===
The male romantic lead was played by Neil Carlton, a Melbourne-born actor who had appeared in films in England. "I've been searching for a juvenile of Carlton's type ever since I have been directing," said Hall during production. "He's handsome, a good actor, and possesses a fine singing voice; stands 6 ft 1 in. in his socks, weighs 14 St., and is a splendid all-round athlete."<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/54814174?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'New Screen Hero Found', ''The Mail (Adelaide)'' Saturday 19 February 1938 p 4]</ref>
The male romantic lead was played by Neil Carlton, a Melbourne-born actor who had appeared in films in England. "I've been searching for a juvenile of Carlton's type ever since I have been directing," said Hall during production. "He's handsome, a good actor, and possesses a fine singing voice; stands 6 ft 1 in. in his socks, weighs 14 St., and is a splendid all-round athlete."<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/54814174?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'New Screen Hero Found', ''The Mail (Adelaide)'' Saturday 19 February 1938 p 4]</ref>


Filming commenced on January 30, 1938<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/17432391?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'CINESOUND FILM. New Australian Comedy', ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', Wednesday 19 January 1938 p 8]</ref> and finished on March 22.<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/11172165?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'FILM STUDIOS NOT CLOSING', ''The Argus (Melbourne)'' Wednesday 23 March 1938 p 2]</ref>
Filming commenced on January 30, 1938<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/17432391?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'CINESOUND FILM. New Australian Comedy', ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', Wednesday 19 January 1938 p 8]</ref> and finished on March 22.<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/11172165?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193|||sortby=dateAsc 'FILM STUDIOS NOT CLOSING', ''The Argus (Melbourne)'' Wednesday 23 March 1938 p 2]</ref> During the shooting of a speedboat chase scene on [[Sydney Harbour]], the boat crashed into a racing eight near [[Double Bay]], cutting it in half and injuring three rowers.<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/58994895?searchTerm=%22let%20george%20do%20it%22%20wallace%20cost&searchLimits=l-category=Article%7Ccategory%3AArticle|||l-decade=193 'The Road to Reno is Gay Romantic Drama', ''Sunday Times (Perth)'' Sunday 20 November 1938 p26]</ref>

A water ballet, choreographed by Leon Kellaway, brother of [[Cecil Kellaway]], was shot but was mostly cut in the interests of keeping the film at a fast pace.<ref>Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production'', Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 181.</ref>

The movie was released in Britain in 1940 as '''In the Nick of Time''', to avoid confusion with the 1940 [[George Formby]] film ''[[Let George Do It]]''.


==Cast==
==Cast==
*[[George Wallace (Australian comedian)|George Wallace]] as Joe Blake
*[[George Wallace (Australian comedian)|George Wallace]] as Joe Blake
*[[Gwen Munro]] as Molly
*[[Gwen Munro]] as Molly
*Harry Abdy as Zilch
*Harry Abdy as Elmer Zilch
*Letty Craydon as Clara
*Letty Craydon as Clara
*[[Alec Kellaway]] as Mysto the Great
*[[Alec Kellaway]] as Mysto the Great
*[[Joe Valli]] as 'Happy' Morgan
*[[Joe Valli]] as 'Happy' Morgan
*Neil Carlton
*Neil Carlton as John Randall
*George Lloyd as Unk


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 11:43, 9 November 2011

Let George Do It
Directed byKen G. Hall
Written byGeorge Wallace
Frank Harvey
Produced byKen G. Hall
StarringGeorge Wallace
CinematographyGeorge Heath
Edited byWilliam Shepherd
Production
company
Release date
1938
Running time
79 mins
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget₤21,000[1]

Let George Do It is a 1938 comedy starring popular stage comedian George Wallace. It was the first of two films Wallace made for Ken G. Hall at Cinesound Productions, the other one being Gone to the Dogs (1939). Hall later called Wallace "in my opinion, easily the best comedian that this country as produced."[2]

Synopsis

The plot concerns a man, Joe (Wallace), who works as an odd job man at a boarding house and is in love with Molly (Gwen Munro). He hears that he has inherited a fortune but then discovers it isn't true. Distraught and feeling down and heart, he decides to commit suicide and offers to leave all his possessions to a gangster, Zilch (Harry Abdy), if he will arrange a painless death. The next day Joe finds out his inheritance is genuine and wants to live, but Zilch is determined to carry out his mission. The climax involves a wild speedboat chase across Sydney harbour.

Production

On this film, as with most Cinesound comedies of the late 1930s, Hall employed a team of comedy writers to help with the script along with credited screenwriters Wallace and Frank Harvey. This consisted of Hall, cartoonist Jim Bancks[3], Bill Maloney and Hal Carleton.[4]

The male romantic lead was played by Neil Carlton, a Melbourne-born actor who had appeared in films in England. "I've been searching for a juvenile of Carlton's type ever since I have been directing," said Hall during production. "He's handsome, a good actor, and possesses a fine singing voice; stands 6 ft 1 in. in his socks, weighs 14 St., and is a splendid all-round athlete."[5]

Filming commenced on January 30, 1938[6] and finished on March 22.[7] During the shooting of a speedboat chase scene on Sydney Harbour, the boat crashed into a racing eight near Double Bay, cutting it in half and injuring three rowers.[8]

A water ballet, choreographed by Leon Kellaway, brother of Cecil Kellaway, was shot but was mostly cut in the interests of keeping the film at a fast pace.[9]

The movie was released in Britain in 1940 as In the Nick of Time, to avoid confusion with the 1940 George Formby film Let George Do It.

Cast

References

  1. ^ Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 181.
  2. ^ Philip Taylor, 'Ken G. Hall', Cinema Papers January 1974 p 86
  3. ^ Jim Bancks at Australian Dictionary of Biography
  4. ^ Ken G. Hall, Directed by Ken G. Hall, Lansdowne Press, 1977 p 142
  5. ^ 'New Screen Hero Found', The Mail (Adelaide) Saturday 19 February 1938 p 4
  6. ^ 'CINESOUND FILM. New Australian Comedy', The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 19 January 1938 p 8
  7. ^ 'FILM STUDIOS NOT CLOSING', The Argus (Melbourne) Wednesday 23 March 1938 p 2
  8. ^ 'The Road to Reno is Gay Romantic Drama', Sunday Times (Perth) Sunday 20 November 1938 p26
  9. ^ Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 181.
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