Somewhere on Leave
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn E. Blakeley
Written byRoney Parsons
Anthony Toner
Produced byJohn E. Blakeley
StarringFrank Randle
CinematographyGeoffrey Faithfull
Edited byE.R. Richards
Music byPercival Mackey
Production
company
Distributed byButcher's Film Service (U.K.)
Release date
February 1943 (U.K.)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Somewhere on Leave is a 1943 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Dan Young.[1] It was the third in the series of Somewhere films following Private Randle and his comrades.[2] It was followed by Somewhere in Civvies (1943).

Plot

Private Randle and army pals Privates Young and Enoch are invited by Private Desmond to spend some off-duty time at his stately home. Desmond is too busy courting an ATS girl to notice that the squaddies are running riot in his house.

Cast

  • Frank Randle – Pte. Randle
  • Harry Korris – Sgt. Korris
  • Dan Young – Pte. Young
  • Robbie Vincent – Pte. Enoch
  • Antoinette Lupino – Toni Beaumont
  • Pat McGrath – Pte. Roy Desmond
  • Toni Edgar-Bruce – Mrs. Delvaine
  • Edna Wood – Land Girl
  • Vincent Holman – butler
  • Percival Mackey Orchestra – themselves
  • Noel Dainton – Capt. Delvaine
  • Sidney Monckton – Captain Adams
  • John Varley – Lieut. Bassett
  • Clifford Cobb – Commando Sgt.
  • Elizabeth Wilson – A.T.S. girl
  • Esme Lewis – Mrs Gerrard
  • Nan Hopkins – ATS girl
  • Hilda Jones – Land Girl
  • Ernie Dillon – trampoline artist

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote in 1946: "Hearty British musical extravaganza featuring Frank Randle and many of the famous stars of 'Happidrome', one of war-time radio's most popular comedy features. Originally reviewed in the Kine of November 5, 1942, it returns to the screen untouched by scissors, but, in spite of its formidable footage, its fruity, not to say ribald, humour continues to register. Its tireless co-stars are past masters at cracking chestnuts."[3]

The Radio Times gave the film two out of five stars, writing: "Of the music-hall turns who made films, Lancashire comedian Frank Randle was among the most successful. But his appeal inevitably exemplifies the North-South divide and his success – including that of his five Somewhere films – was largely confined to home ground ... It may be unsophisticated, and more a series of incidents than a cohesive narrative, but it's still fun."[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Somewhere on Leave". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Frank Randle". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Somewhere on Leave". Kine Weekly. 348 (2028): 27. 28 February 1946 – via ProQuest.
  4. ↑ "Somewhere on Leave (1942)". Radio Times.
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