Home Sweet Home is a 1945 British musical comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Nicolette Roeg (sister of director Nicolas Roeg) and Tony Pendrell. It was written by Roney Parsons and Anthony Toner. Set in the fictitious town of Redvale, the film is largely a vehicle for slapstick routines by Randle.
Contents
Plot
Spirited orphan Jacqueline Chantry is the chauffeuse to wealthy colonel Wright and his family. Son Eric Wright and Jacqueline fall in love and plan to marry, but the class conscious colonel's wife refuses to give her blessing. Saddened, Jacqueline packs her bags and leaves; eventually becoming a nightclub singer. Eric chases after her, but she's already found Frank, a likeable chap who discovers that Jacqueline is in reality a wealthy heiress.
Cast
Nicolette Roeg as Jacqueline Chantry
Frank Randle as Frank
Tony Pendrell as Eric Wright
H. F. Maltby as Colonel Wright
Hilda Bayley as Mrs. Wright
Cecil Fredericks as Webster
Stan Little as young Herbert
Bunty Meadows as Bunty
Gerhard Kempinski as Pagoli
George Merritt as Dr. Handy
Howard Douglas as Martin, the butler
Iris Vandeleur as Mrs. Jones
Esma Lewis as Mrs. Luck
Vincent Holman as the parson
Lily Lapidus as welfare worker
Ben Williams as reporter
Max Melford as policeman
Rawicz and Landauer as themselves
Critical reception
Kine Weekly called the film "a strong combination of robust box-office comedy with powerful radio and variety appeal.
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Frank Randle wends his way through an impossible plot with his familiar brand of slap-stick comedy and usually manages to leave a trail of laughs behind him, particularly at the beginning, when he confuses the birth of Quads to his wife with the four puppies his son brings home."
Picture Show wrote: "Jovial knockabout comedy ... Boisterous fun, with first-rate musical "interludes by Rawicz and Landauer, who appear at a factory concert, and good work from the supporting cast."
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Unsophisticated farce-musical, sometimes quite funny."
Sky Movies gave it two out of five stars, concluding the film was "Only mild entertainment even when it was made and rather dated now".
The reviewer for TV Guide wrote: "It passes the time, but it's not especially memorable."