''Worm's Eye View'' is a 1951 British

Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...

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

Jack Raymond Jack Raymond (1886–1953) was an English people, English actor and film director. Born in Wimborne, Dorset in 1886, he began acting before the First World War in ''A Detective for a Day''. In 1921, he directed his first film and gradually he wo ...

and starring

Ronald Shiner Ronald Alfred Shiner (8 June 1903 – 29 June 1966) was a British stand-up comedian and comedy actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall. Early life and career When he was seventeen, Shiner joined the Royal North-Wes ...

and

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a Bombshell (slang), blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, and Mamie Van ...

. Based on the 1945 play of the same name by R.F. Delderfield, it was produced by Henry Halsted and Byron Films.

Plot

The film is set in a family home during World War II. Their bitter landlady is not pleased by five fighters from the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

who are staying there and she re-directs unjustly her frustrations against the family. Part of the film appears in the 1948 Rise and Shiner.

Cast

as Sam Porter *

Garry Marsh Garry Marsh (21 May 1902 – 6 March 1981) was an English stage and film actor. Biography Born Leslie March Gerahty on 21 May 1902 in St Margarets, Middlesex, his parents were George and Laura. His elder brothers were the author Digby George ...

as Pop Brownlow *

as Thelma * John Blythe as Duke *

Bruce Seton Sir Bruce Lovat Seton, 11th Baronet (29 May 1909 – 28 September 1969) was a British actor and soldier. He is best remembered for his lead role in ''Fabian of the Yard''. Early life Bruce Lovat Seton was born in Simla, British India, the yo ...

as Squadron Leader Briarly *

Digby Wolfe James Digby Wolfe (4 June 19292 May 2012) was a British actor. After a successful career in the UK and Australia, his later career was based in the US. Early life James Digby Wolfe was born to a father who was an international banker and a m ...

as Corporal Mark Trelawney * Eric Davies as Taffy *

Everley Gregg Everley Gregg (26 October 1903, in Bishopstoke, Hampshire – 9 June 1959, in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire) was an English actress. Early in her career, she became associated especially with plays of Noël Coward. She began making films in the ...

as Mrs. Bounty * Christina Forrest as Bella Bounty * Jonathan Field as Sydney * William Percy as Mr Bounty

Original play

The play was first staged in October 1944 by Basil Thomas, of the Wolverhampton Repertory Company. It went on tour the following spring and did well but did not transfer to London due to a shortage of theatres. However in late 1945 the play was put on at the Embassy Theatre in Hampstead and in January 1946 was transferred to the Whitehall, starring Ronald Shiner. The play was a huge success, running for five and a half years, briefly beating ''Chu Chin Cow'' as the longest running play in London. In 1952 ''Drama'' magazine wrote "There can scarcely be an adult member of the population who is not thoroughly familiar with the doings of this group of R.A.F. billetees during the war."

Production

Filming took place at Hammersmith in late 1950.

Reception

Box office

''Worm's Eye View'' was the sixth most popular film at the British box office in 1951. It was particularly popular in Scotland. This encouraged the same production company to film another stage farce with Shiner, ''Relucant Heroes''. This too was a large success.

Critical reception

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 ...

'' wrote, "some mild amusement is to be found here, particularly in the dialogue, though all in all this is nothing special. British filmgoers thought otherwise, though, making both the film and Shiner big successes."

References

External links

''Worm's Eye View''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

* 1951 films 1951 comedy films Films directed by Jack Raymond British comedy films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub