Top of the Form (film)

Top of the Form (also known as Fair's Fair) is a 1953 British black-and-white comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ronald Shiner, Anthony Newley and Harry Fowler.[2][3] The film draws inspiration from Will Hay's 1937 classic Good Morning, Boys.[4]

Top of the Form
Original British quad poster
Directed byJohn Paddy Carstairs
Written by
Story byAnthony Kimmins
Val Guest
Leslie Arliss
Marriott Edgar
Produced byPaul Soskin
StarringRonald Shiner
CinematographyErnest Steward
Edited byAlfred Roome
Music byRonald Hanmer
Production
companies
Paul Soskin Productions
British Film-Makers
Distributed byGeneral Film Distributors
Release date
  • 9 March 1953 (1953-03-09)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office£143,000 (UK)[1]

Plot summary

edit

This story explores a bookmaker Ronnie Fortescue, 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 French Crown Jewels.

Cast

edit

Production

edit

It was made at Pinewood Studios near London with sets designed by the art director Maurice Carter. The film earned billings of £143,000.[5]

Critical reception

edit

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Good Morning, Boys was possibly crude and to some distasteful, and its success depended on Will Hay. Ronald Shiner, though a popular comedian whose presence will no doubt ensure the film's box-office success, is far from being another Will Hay, and the film consequently remains crude and distasteful. The comedy, poorly scripted, is slow and unfunny, and depends mainly on slapstick and slap and tickle."[6]

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".[4]

TV Guide hailed "An entertaining comedy."[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference. p. 41.
  2. ^ "Top of the Form". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Top of the Form (1953)". Archived from the original on 30 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Top of the Form – review - cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.
  5. ^ BFI Collections: Michael Balcon Papers H3 reprinted in British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference By Sue Harper, Vincent Porter p 41
  6. ^ "Top of the Form". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 20 (228): 57. 1 January 1953 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ "Top Of The Form - TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
edit