''Nothing Venture'' is a 1948 British

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

family film A children's film, or family film, is a film genre that generally relates to children in the context of home and family. Children's films are made specifically for children and not necessarily for a general audience, while family films are made ...

directed by John Baxter and starring The Artemus Boys, Terry Randall,

Patric Curwen Patric Curwen (14 December 1884 – 31 May 1949) was a British stage and film actor. Biography Curwen, son of John Spencer Curwen of the music publishing company, and grandson of John Curwen, founder of the Tonic sol-fa system, was educated at Ab ...

and

Michael Aldridge Michael William ffolliott Aldridge (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a ...

. It was written by Geoffrey Orme.

Plot

When rescuing horserider Diana Chaice, whose horse was startled by a gunshot, the Artemus Boys stumble on a plot to steal the plans for a secret ray invented by her father.

Cast

* The Artemus Boys as themselves * Terry Randall as Diana Chaice *

as the author *

as Michael Garrod * Paul Blake as the boss *

Wilfrid Caithness Wilfrid Caithness or Wilfred Caithness (1883–1954) was a British stage and film actor. He played the role of Sebastian Moran in the 1935 film ''The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes''.Reid p.163 Selected filmography * '' A Voice Said Goodnight '' (19 ...

as the professor *

Howard Douglas General Sir Howard Douglas, 3rd Baronet, (23 January 1776 – 9 November 1861) was a British Army officer born in Gosport, England, the younger son of Admiral Sir Charles Douglas, and a descendant of the Earls of Morton. He was an English ...

as Badger * Ben Williams as Spike *

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 Scotland Yard official * Jack Simpson and his Sextet as themselves * Ronne Coyles as boy * Arthur Denton as hotel porter * Alfred Harris as hotel guest * Maureen Morton as singer

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 very ''

Boys' Own Paper ''The Boy's Own Paper'' was a British story paper aimed at young and teenager, teenage boys, published from 1879 to 1967. Publishing history The idea for the publication was first raised in 1878 by the Religious Tract Society, as a means to enc ...

'' stuff, and relies on a series of somewhat improbable happenings for its smooth running, but no doubt it will make a big hit with juvenile audiences whose critical faculty is not too strongly developed! The Artemus Boys give a good account of themselves, and quite outshine, in acting ability, the grown-up members of the cast." ''

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: "The pictorial aspect of the film is delightful, but unfortunately its charming English exteriors are mot enough. The plot intrigues for a time, but its serial-like finale which follows a day at the races causes it to run to length and destroys much of its early fragrance and jolly spirit of adventure. Unless cut, it's likely to tax the patience of average adult audiences."

References

External links

* {{John Baxter 1948 films British comedy films 1948 comedy films 1940s English-language films Films directed by John Baxter British black-and-white films 1940s British films English-language comedy films Films scored by Kennedy Russell