''Laugh It Off'' is a 1940 British

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

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 John Baxter and starring

Tommy Trinder Thomas Edward Trinder (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by Cultural history, cultural historian Matthew Sweet (writer), Matthew Sweet as "a cocky ...

Jean Colin Jean Colin (24 March 1905 – 7 March 1989) was an England, English actress. She began her career on stage in pantomime, musical theatre and operettas. She appeared in several films beginning in the 1930s. Colin was born in Brighton, Sussex an ...

, Anthony Hulme and Marjorie Browne. It was written by

Bridget Boland Bridget Boland (13 March 1913 – 19 January 1988) was a British screenwriter, playwright and novelist. Life Bridget Boland was born in London on 13 March 1913 to Irish politician John Pius Boland and Eileen Querin Boland ( Moloney). Boland ...

and Austin Melford and filmed at

Walton Studios Walton Studios, previously named Hepworth Studios and Nettlefold Studios, was a film production studio in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England.World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, concert party entertainer Tommy Towers is drafted into service. He immediately gets on the wrong side of commanding officer Sergeant Major Slaughter, but after saving the camp show with his show business expertise Tommy is granted a

commission In-Commission or commissioning may refer to: Business and contracting * Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered ** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...

Cast

as Tommy Towers *

as Sally * Anthony Hulme as Somers * Marjorie Browne as Peggy *

Edward Lexy Edward Lexy (18 February 1897, in London – 31 January 1970, in Dublin) was a British actor. He was born Edward Little. Career He made his London stage début in 1936, and his first film the following year. His film roles were a mixture of s ...

as Sergeant Major Slaughter * Ida Barr as Mrs McNab *

Charles Victor Charles Victor (10 February 1896 – 23 December 1965) was a British actor who appeared in many film and television roles between 1931 and 1965. He was born Charles Victor Harvey. Born in Southport, Lancashire, England, Victor was a fourth- ...

as Colonel *

Peter Gawthorne Peter Gawthorne (1 September 1884 – 17 March 1962) was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of Will Hay and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-up ...

as General *

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 Sergeant * Warren Jenkins as Pat *

John Laurie John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish stage, film, and television actor. He appeared in scores of feature films with directors including Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier, generally p ...

as Jock * Henry Lytton, Jr. as George

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: " After a very slow beginning this film develops into a simple happy-go-lucky kind of story which will please the unsophisticated and those who like Tommy Trinder. It is frequently punctuated by concert acts designed to set off his characteristic talents. He is well served by his supporting cast, and for many the funniest scene will be the lamentable rehearsal of the Sergeant's troupe, where Tommy Trinder does not appear at all." ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' wrote: "Grand comedy, rousing song and variety entertainment at its jolliest." ''

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' wrote: "Tommy Trinder certainly scores a personal success in this wartime musical comedy burlesque ... Well-chosen songs intersperse the humour at the expense of officialdom and now and then the patriotic note is struck. Gags are well timed and Trinder gets the most out of each of them. Jean Colin brings prettiness and a pleasing voice to the heroine's role, and sound character work comes from Anthony Hulme, Edward Lexy, Marjorie Brown and Wally Patch. Bright entertainment which banishes the blackout blues." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' called it "a fairly entertaining effort". In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Breezy comedy, ironically funniest when its star is off screen."

References

External links

* {{John Baxter 1940 films British musical comedy films 1940 musical comedy films 1940s English-language films Films shot at Nettlefold Studios Films directed by John Baxter Military comedy films World War II films made in wartime British black-and-white films Films scored by Kennedy Russell English-language musical comedy films