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Three vintage British comedy titles on DVD in January

19 January 2015

Network have announce three comedy titles as part of 'The British Film' collection, all to be released on UK DVD this month: British Comedies of the 1930s Volume 6 featured The Black Hand Gang and Old Spanish Customers; It's Never Too Late, a domestic comedy starring Phyllis Calvert whose literary talent is suddenly in the spotlight; and It's That Man Again, which stars Tommy Handley in a feature film spin off from the popular BBC radio show.

 

British Comedies of the 1930s Volume 6

The Ebullient comedy films of the 1930s brought escape and laughter to millions of British cinemagoers, enabling veteran stars of music-hall and theatre to reach out to a wider audience.

Although comedy would prove to be the decade’s most successful film genre, many of these classic early talkies have remained unseen since their original release. From boisterous knockabout humour to polished adaptations of popular stage farces, this ongoing collection showcases a wealth of rare features, each presented uncut, in a brand-new transfer from the best available elements in their as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.

The Black Hand Gang (1930)
Wee Georgie Wood stars with his long-term stage partner, music-hall artiste Dolly Harmer, in this very early British talkie comedy. The diminutive comic plays the leader of a gang of street urchins who have made their own "hit list" of criminals to capture. Before they do that, though, they have a party to attend...

Old Spanish Customers (1932)
Directed by Lupino Lane (The Love Parade) and featuring the ever-popular pairing of Leslie Fuller (Boys Will Be Girls) and Hal Gordon (The Amazing Adventure), this riotous comedy charts the misadventures of Bill Smithers – a henpecked husband who goes on holiday to Spain but is forced to take the bull by the horns when he's mistaken for a famous toreador!

British Comedies Of The 1930s Volume 6 will be released on UK DVD on 25th January 2016 at the RRP of £12.99, courtesy of Network’s 'The British Film' collection.

 

 

It's Never Too Late (1956)

This enchanting domestic comedy stars Gainsborough Studios' legendary leading lady Phyllis Calvert (Mandy) as a mother and housewife whose hidden literary talent is suddenly in the spotlight – much to the consternation of her chaotic family.

To Laura Hammond's large family, she is simply the mother who makes their tumultuous lives run a little more smoothly, and although they don't know it, she is a very successful novelist – but when her screenplay comes to the attention of a Hollywood producer, Laura is suddenly plunged into the big time. Perhaps it's time to stop taking Mum for granted.

Also starring Patrick Barr (Octopussy), Guy Rolfe (Yesterday’s Enemy) and Susan Stephen (Pacific Destiny), It's Never Too Late is featured here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.

It’s Never Too Late will be released on UK DVD on 25th January 2016 at RRP of £9.99, courtesy of Network’s ‘The British Film’ collection.

Special features:

  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Unused song
  • Image gallery
  • Original synopsis PDFs

 

 

It's That Man Again (1943)

Tommy, mayor of the small town of Foaming-at-the-Mouth, is trying to balance the civic accounts – but constant interruptions by his incompetent assistant Sam Scram and nosey charlady Mrs Mopp are severely hampering the job. His troubles escalate, however, when he's forced to admit that he's invested all the municipal funds in a crumbling London theatre..

Comedian Tommy Handley reprises his best-loved role in this celluloid spin-off from the phenomenally popular BBC radio show ITMA – a light-entertainment staple that ran for a decade from 1939 and contributed significantly towards morale by bringing much-needed comic relief to a war-weary British public.

Making stars of Jack Train (New Town), Dorothy Summers (No Haunt For A Gentleman) and Sydney Keith (The Adding Machine), It's That Man Again is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.

It’s That Man Again will be released on UK DVD on 25th January 2016 at the RRP of £9.99, courtesy of Network’s ‘The British Film’ collection.