''The Butler's Dilemma'' is a 1943

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

British

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

Leslie S. Hiscott Leslie Stephenson Hiscott (25 July 18943 May 1968) was an English film director and screenwriter who made over sixty films between 1925 and 1956. He was born in London in 1894. He directed ''Alibi'' (1931), the first ever depiction of Hercul ...

and starring

Richard Hearne Richard Lewis Hearne (30 January 1908 – 23 August 1979) was an English actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best remembered for his stage and television character Mr Pastry. Career Hearne was born in Norwich, Norfolk, in 1908, the son ...

in a dual role as Rodney Playfair and a Butler called Chapman,

Ronald Shiner Ronald Alfred Shiner (8 June 1903 – 29 June 1966) was a British stand-up comedian and comedy actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall. Career Early life and career When he was seventeen, Shiner joined the Royal Nor ...

as Ernie,

Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., an ...

, Francis L. Sullivan,

Judy Kelly Julie Aileen Kelly (1 November 1913 – 22 October 1991), known professionally as Judy Kelly, was an Australian-born British actress. She arrived in Britain in 1932 after winning a competition organised by the Australian British Empire Films, wh ...

and

Hermione Gingold Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold (; 9 December 189724 May 1987) was an English actress known for her sharp-tongued, eccentric character. Her signature drawling, deep voice was a result of nodules on her vocal cords she developed in the 1920s and e ...

.BFI.org
/ref> It was produced by Elisabeth Hiscott,

Graham Cutts John Henry Graham Cutts (1884 – 7 February 1958), known as Graham Cutts, was a British film director, one of the leading British directors in the 1920s. His fellow director A. V. Bramble believed that Gainsborough Pictures had been built ...

for Shaftesbury Films, and filmed at

British National Studios The BBC Elstree Centre, sometimes referred to as the BBC Elstree Studios, is a television production facility, currently owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The complex is located between Eldon Avenue and Clarendon Road in Boreh ...

Plot

A group of friends undertakes a number of deceptions in order to stage an illicit gambling party. Wimpish Rodney Playfair (Hearne) is persuaded, by a promise to erase his gambling debts, to impersonate an old manservant named Chapman (also played by Hearne) for a few weeks in order to unwittingly provide an alibi for an accomplished thief. Hearne's dual role alternates between him playing the timid young Playfair, (in effect Hearne playing his real age) and the doddery butler 'Chapman', who is 'Mr Pastry' in all but name.

Cast

as Rodney Playfair * Francis L. Sullivan as Leo Carrington *

as Ann *

as Aunt Sophie * Henry Kendall as Carmichael *

André Randall André Randall (9 December 1892 – 4 July 1974) was a French screen actor. He was born André Ayaïs in Bordeaux and died at Sainte-Foy-la-Grande. Filmography *1919: '' The Odds Against Her'' (directed by Alexander Butler) *1931: '' Mistigri'' ...

as Vitello *

as Sir Hubert Playfair *

Ralph Truman Ralph du Vergier Truman (7 May 1900 – 15 October 1977) was an English actor, usually cast as either a villain or an authority figure. He possessed a distinguished speaking voice. He was born in London, England. Truman originally studied at t ...

as Bishop *

Wally Patch Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages i ...

as Tom *

as Ernie * Marjorie Rhodes as Mrs Plumb * Arthur Denton as Detective * Alf Goddard as Policeman

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corporat ...

'' gave the film two out of five stars, calling it, "Terribly tepid."

References

External links

* * * 1943 films 1943 comedy films British black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Leslie S. Hiscott British comedy films Films shot at British National Studios 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-comedy-film-stub