''The Officers' Mess'' is a 1931 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 by

Manning Haynes Horace Manning Haynes (born: Lyminster, Sussex – died 3 March 1957, Epsom, England) (often credited as H. Manning Haynes) was a British-born film director and actor. He was married to the screenwriter Lydia Hayward, with whom he frequent ...

and starring Richard Cooper, Harold French and

Elsa Lanchester Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was a British-American actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.Obituary '' Variety'', 31 December 1986. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the F ...

. It was made at Walton Studios.Wood p.72 It was released as a

quota quickie The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. A

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

becomes mixed-up with some stolen jewels.

Cast

* Richard Cooper as Tony Turnbull * Harold French as Budge Harbottle *

as Cora Melville *

Lilian Oldland Lilian Mary Oldland (7 February 1903 – 29 September 1984) was an English actress who appeared in more than twenty films between 1925 and 1935. Born in Gloucester in 1903, she made her film debut in '' The Secret Kingdom'' and was soon cast as ...

as Kitty * Max Avieson as Bolton * Margery Binner as Phoebe * George Bellamy as Insp. Bedouin *

Annie Esmond Annie Esmond (27 September 1873 – 4 January 1945) was a British stage and film actress. Esmond was born in Surrey, England. She made her stage debut in pantomime in Sheffield in 1891 and later appeared on the American as well as British stage ...

as Mrs. Makepiece *

Fewlass Llewellyn Fewlass Llewellyn (5 March 1886 – 16 June 1941) was a Welsh actor, playwright and theatrical producer. Previously an engineer, he made his stage debut in 1890, and appeared in various film roles, often as authority figures. A play he co-wrote w ...

as Adm. Harbottle *

Helen Haye Helen Haye (born Helen Hay, 28 August 1874 – 1 September 1957) was a British stage and film actress.
New York Times. 3 Septem ...

as Mrs. Harbottle *

Faith Bennett Faith Margaret Ellen Bennett (1903–1969) was a British actress and ATA pilot. Biography Bennett was born Margaret Ellen Riddick on 12 May 1903 in London, England. One of her brothers died during the First World War. In 1930, she married fil ...

as Ann Telford * Gordon Begg

References

Bibliography

* Low, Rachael. ''Filmmaking in 1930s Britain''. George Allen & Unwin, 1985. * Wood, Linda. ''British Films, 1927-1939''. British Film Institute, 1986.

External links

* 1931 films British comedy films 1931 comedy films 1930s English-language films Films shot at Nettlefold Studios Films directed by H. Manning Haynes Quota quickies British black-and-white films 1930s British films {{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub