''Brass Monkey'' (also known as ''The Lucky Mascot'') is a 1948 British comedy thriller film with musical asides, directed by

Thornton Freeland Thornton Freeland (February 10, 1898 – May 22, 1987) was an American film director who directed 26 British and American films in a career that lasted from 1924 to 1949. Early success He was born in Hope, North Dakota in 1898 and originally ...

. It stars

Carroll Levis Carroll Richard Levis (March 15, 1910 – October 17, 1968) was a Canadian talent scout, impresario and radio and television broadcaster, mainly working in Britain. Biography Born in Toronto and brought up in Vancouver, the son of a murdered po ...

, a radio variety show host and talent scout (known as "Britain's favourite Canadian") and American actress

Carole Landis Carole Landis (born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste; January 1, 1919 – July 5, 1948) was an American actress and singer. She worked as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout role was as the female lead in the 1940 ...

in her last film. It features an early appearance by comic actor

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 1911 – 8 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members ...

, playing himself. Though made in 1948, ''Brass Monkey'' was not released in the US until 1951.

Plot

Popular radio presenter

, and Kay Sheldon find themselves entangled in a web of smuggling and murder. When a priceless "brass monkey" is stolen from a Japanese temple and smuggled into England, Levis encounters the eccentric Mr. Ryder-Harris, a Buddhist art connoisseur who's chasing the artefact, and will apparently stop at nothing to get it. The monkey is missing and suspicious murders are being committed in the hunt for its retrieval. With the help of the ''Discoveries'' radio talent, Levis attempts to avoid murderous henchman

Herbert Lom Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (11 September 1917 – 27 September 2012), known professionally as Herbert Lom (), was a Czech-British actor with a career spanning over 60 years. His cool demeanour and precise, elegan ...

, and foil Mr. Ryder-Harris's plans. Amongst all the mayhem, an array of musical and comedy performers audition for and appear on ''The Levis Hour'', the hero's weekly radio programme.

Cast

as himself *

as Kay Sheldon *

as Peter Hobart *

Avril Angers Florence Avril Angers (18 April 1918 – 9 November 2005) was an English stand-up comedian and actress. In 2005 ''The Daily Telegraph'' described her as "one of the most zestful, charming and reliable character comediennes in the postwar Lon ...

as herself *

Ernest Thesiger Ernest Frederic Graham Thesiger (15 January 1879 – 14 January 1961) was an English stage and film actor. He is noted for his performance as Doctor Septimus Pretorius in James Whale's film ''Bride of Frankenstein'' (1935). Early life Ernes ...

as Ryder-Harris *

Edward Underdown Charles Edward Underdown (3 December 190815 December 1989) was an English theatre, cinema and television actor. Early Life Underdown was the son of Harry Charles Baillie Underdown and Rachel Elizabeth Orr. Born in London, he was educated at Et ...

as Max Taylor * Henry Edwards as Inspector Miller * Henry Worthington as Rodney *

as himself * Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson as Hutch * Campbell Cotts as A.J. Gilroy * Peter Williams as Detective Fellows

Production

Landis arrived in England to make the film in August 1947. Landis reportedly said that she encouraged the English actors to speak more slowly so that U.S. audiences could understand them.

Songs

*"It's the Greatest Business in the world" by Gaby Rogers – staged by Buddy Bradley *"Home Sweet Home" by

Sid Colin Sid Colin (born Sidney Coblentz; 31 August 1915 – 12 December 1989) was an English scriptwriter, working for radio, television and the cinema. He is best remembered for creating the television comedy ''The Army Game'' (1957–1959) and writing ...

and

Steve Race Stephen Russell Race OBE (1 April 192122 June 2009) was an English composer, pianist and radio and television presenter. Early life He was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, the son of a lawyer, Race learned the piano from the age of five.Spenc ...

*"Somebody Blew My Bluebird's Egg" by Noel Langley and Pat Quin *"I Know Myself Too Well" by Ross Parker *"Tomorrow's Rainbow" by Colin Campbell

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: "A mixture of variety acts and thriller, amateurishly made." In a contemporary review, ''The Geraldton Guardian'' called the film a "well told story." ''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''

Tony Sloman Anthony B. Sloman (born 6 May 1945 in Waltham Abbey, Essex) is an English film producer and screenwriter. Tony Sloman is a cinema critic and historian, whose long career has encompassed many facets of film making. He has worked intermittent ...

gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "This is a bizarre combination of a

Saki Hector Hugh Munro (18 December 1870 – 14 November 1916), popularly known by his pen name Saki and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirise Edwardian society and ...

-esque parable and a vehicle for radio talent scout Carroll Levis." '' Time Out'' called the film a "ramshackle support feature", and concluded it was "a curio, but not really a collectible."

Sky Movies Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema on ...

wrote, "a rough (very rough) and tumble British comedy-thriller spun round the then popular shows featuring Carroll Levis. ... Not much as a film ... But of undoubted interest for its extraordinary cast."

References

External links

* {{Alec Coppel 1948 films 1948 comedy films 1948 crime films 1940s British films 1940s comedy thriller films 1940s crime comedy films 1940s crime thriller films 1940s English-language films British black-and-white films British comedy thriller films British crime comedy films British crime thriller films Films directed by Thornton Freeland Films with screenplays by Alec Coppel English-language crime comedy films English-language crime thriller films English-language comedy thriller films