''Gert and Daisys Weekend'' is a 1942 British

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Maclean Rogers Maclean Rogers (13 July 1899 – 4 January 1962) was a British film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography Director * ''The Third Eye (1929 film), The Third Eye'' (1929) * ''The Mayor's Nest'' (1932) * ''Up for the Derby'' (1933) * ...

and starring

Elsie Waters Florence Elsie Waters (19 August 1893–14 June 1990) and her sister Doris Ethel Waters (20 December 1899–18 August 1978) were English comic actresses and singers who performed as a double act. They are remembered for creating the co ...

Doris Waters Florence Elsie Waters (19 August 1893–14 June 1990) and her sister Doris Ethel Waters (20 December 1899–18 August 1978) were English Comedienne, comic actresses and singers who performed as a double act. They are remembered for cre ...

and

Iris Vandeleur Iris Vandeleur (1884–1969) was a British stage and film actress. In 1951 she appeared in the BBC television series ''Sherlock Holmes'' as Mrs. Hudson, the landlady. In the West End she appeared in 1939 in Ian Hay Major (Honorary Major G ...

. It was written by Kathleen Butler, H. F. Maltby and Rogers. It was shot at

Welwyn Studios Welwyn Studios was a British film studio located at Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. The facility operated between 1928 and 1950. The studios were first constructed by British Instructional Films, and converted to make so ...

with sets designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

William Hemsley. It was followed by a sequel ''

Gert and Daisy Clean Up ''Gert and Daisy Clean Up'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Elsie Waters, Doris Waters and Iris Vandeleur. It was written by Kathleen Butler (screenwriter), Kathleen Butler and H. F. Maltby, with additional d ...

'' (1942).

Cast

as Gert *

as Daisy *

as Ma Butler * Elizabeth Hunt as Maisie Butler * John Slater as Jack Densham *

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

as Charlie Peters *

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 Lady Plumtree *

Aubrey Mallalieu Aubrey Mallalieu (8 June 1873 – 28 May 1948) was an English actor with a prolific career in supporting roles in films in the 1930s and 1940s. Mallalieu began life as George William Mallalieu, the son of William Mallalieu (c. 1845–1927), a ...

as Barnes * O. B. Clarence as vicar * Noel Dainton as Detective Inspector * Arthur Denton as village policeman *

Vi Kaley Vi Kaley, (19 November 1878, Lambeth – 1967, Marylebone), was a British actress. Violet Kaley married the gymnast Alfred Lilley Artois (1874-1933) in 1899. Partial filmography * '' Lloyd of the C.I.D.'' (1932) * '' A Royal Demand'' (1933) * '' ...

as old lady whose son is to be evacuated *

David Keir David Keir (1884–1971) was a British film actor, who also appeared on stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the ...

as magistrates clerk *

Jack May Jack Wynne May (23 April 1922 – 19 September 1997) was an English actor. Early life and education May was born in 1922 in Henley-on-Thames, and was educated at Forest School in Walthamstow. After war service with the Royal Indian Navy in Br ...

as old man dancing on Tube station *

Gerald Moore Gerald Moore (30 July 1899 – 13 March 1987) was an English classical pianist best known for his career as a collaborative pianist for many distinguished musicians. Among those with whom he was closely associated were Dietrich Fischer-Diesk ...

as Tommy *

Johnnie Schofield Johnnie William Schofield (10 March 1889 – 9 September 1955) was a British actor, known for '' The Middle Watch'' (1948), '' Tawny Pipit'' (1944) and '' Melody of My Heart'' (1936). Early life John William Schofield was born on 10 March 1889 ...

as Policeman at Town Hall * Leonard Sharp as small boy's father *

Jack Vyvyan Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, inclu ...

as village policeman * Ben Williams as sam the fishmonger

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "The story is naturally outrageous and simply serves as an extravagant setting in which the well-known comediennes Elsie and Doris Waters can perform. This they do excellently and bring to the screen all the verve of their music-hall and radio turns. The supporting players are very much inferior in ability to the stars. On the other hand, the authenticity of real English backgrounds and manners is refreshing after seeing so many Hollywood imaginative attempts to show England to the English." ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Elsie and Doris Waters had been radio stars for some 15 years before they made this rare sortie in front of the movie camera. Starring as the cockney tittle-tattles Gert and Daisy, they escort some East End evacuees to a country house, where the kids end up as chief suspects in a jewel robbery. The sisters usually wrote their own material and took great pains to be original. Consequently, they look distinctly unhappy with the rehashed gags on offer here." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Pretty wild comedy goes at a fair old pace; material is broad but the stars play it with gusto."

References

External links

* 1942 films British comedy films British black-and-white films 1942 comedy films Films shot at Welwyn Studios Films set in London Butcher's Film Service films Films directed by Maclean Rogers Films scored by Percival Mackey 1940s English-language films 1940s British films {{1940s-UK-film-stub