SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT – “BRITISH MUSICALS OF THE 1930S: VOLUME ONE” COMING TO DVD (U)

Part of “The British Film” collection

From playful romantic comedies to variety extravaganzas, the British musical films of the 1930s offered audiences a source of much-needed escapism throughout the decade haunted by the Great Depression and the growing menace of war. Now HARMONY HEAVEN, THE SONG YOU GAVE ME, MUSIC HATH CHARMS and OVER SHE GOES can be enjoyed by modern audiences on DVD. BRITISH MUSICALS OF THE 1930S: VOLUME ONE (U) will be released on 11 November, RRP £14.99, courtesy of Network Distributing. 

This must-have collection is a wealth of rare gems from the very earliest days of the British talkies, many of which have remained unseen since their original cinema release. Each film is presented uncut, in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited cinema aspect ratio.

Often adapting much-loved hits of the music hall as well as serving as vehicles for the era’s composers, performers and band leaders, they showcased home-grown talent alongside some of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.

Disc 1

HARMONY HEAVEN (1930) Director: Thomas Bentley

Starring Polly Ward, Stuart Hall, Trilby Clark, Gus Sharland, Percy Standing and Aubrey Fitzgerald.

A young songwriter gets onto the stage whilst an audition is in progress. His efforts meet with laughter and he retires crestfallen, but a little actress follows and consoles him; with renewed inspiration, he writes a song that is accepted. He is engaged for the show, fights the leading man, sings his own song, and scores a success. Then, a vampish titled lady attempts to draw him away from the actress.

THE SONG YOU GAVE ME (1933) Director: Paul L. Stein

Starring Bebe Daniels, Victor Varconi, Claude Hulbery, Lester Matthews, Iris Ashley and Walter Widdop.

Set in Vienna, this charming musical comedy features trans-Atlantic star Bebe Daniels as Mitzi Hansen, an actress who falls in love with her handsome secretary but encounters a great deal of difficulty in persuading him to propose to her.

Disc Two

MUSIC HATH CHARMS (1935) Director: Thomas Bentley

Starring Henry Hall, W.H. Berry, Carol Goodner, Billy Milton, Aubrey Mallalieu, Arthur Margetson, Antoinette Cellier and Lorna Hubbard.

This cheerful maze of melody, song, comedy and drama is effectively and shrewdly designed to showcase the talents of Henry Hall and his Dance Band.

OVER SHE GOES (1937) Director: Graham Cutts

Starring Stanley Lupino, Laddie Cliff Claire Luce, Judy Kelly, John Wood, Sally Gray and Max Baer.

Pamela purposely falls from her horse whilst out hunting – a ploy to encourage music hall star Lord Drewsden to propose to her. Her success is promptly followed by identical collapses from Kitty and Dolly, and a triple engagement is joyfully announced, when in comes Alice Mayhill with a compromising letter: Lord Drewsden had proposed to her when he was still plain old Harry, but she’d turned him down. Now he has inherited a title, she has decided to acquire him as her husband after all.

***ENDS***

NOTES TO EDITORS

BRITISH MUSICALS OF THE 1930S: VOLUME 1                                                                                              

Release Date: 11 November 2013      

RRP: £14.99                                                                                          

Running Time: 301 mins (approx)    

Screen Ratios: HARMONY HEAVEN 1.99:1, THE SONG YOU GAVE ME 1.33:1,

MUSIC HATH CHARMS 1.33:1, OVER SHE GOES 1.33:1

No. of Discs: 2     

Catalogue no. 7953964

For media enquiries contact:

Sabina Maharjan, Luciano Chelotti or Bryony Forde

Network, 19-20 Berghem Mews, Blythe Road, London, W14 0HN

Tel: 020 7605 4422 or 020 7605 4424 Fax: 020 7605 4421

Email sabina.maharjan@networkdistributing.com, luciano.chelotti@networkdistributing.com  or Bryony.forde@networkdistributing.com

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