The Guv'nor (1935)

Director:

Milton Rosmer

Writers:

Guy Bolton (writer)
Maude T. Howell (writer)

Release Date:

30 May 1937 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

HERE'S A NEW ARLISS FOR YOU! a completely new personality as a happy-go-lucky rolling stone.

Plot:

Cast

George Arliss	...	The Guv'nor
Ivor Barnard
Frank Cellier	...	Barsac
Mary Clare	...	Mme. Barsac
Gene Gerrard	...	Flit
George Hayes	...	Dubois
George Haynes	...	Dubois
Viola Keats	...	Madelaine
Patric Knowles	...	Paul
Henrietta Watson	...	Mrs. Granville

Also Known As:

Mister Hobo (USA)

Runtime:

80 min | UK:88 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Finland:S | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Trivia:

The first film of Howard Marion-Crawford.

The film that inspired Trading Places?

I recently saw this film on video and was pleasantly surprised. George Arliss was a real gem of the early cinema and this film continues to display his genius on screen. The film itself is the standard vehicle for Arliss, typically his character undermines some unscrupulous scheme whilst playing cupid to two young lovers. Even after several films this formula remained fresh due to Arliss' talent for reinventing characters. Its a great shame that more of his films aren't available, they have certainly endured more than many films half their age. The similarities with Trading Places are almost immediately obvious, the only difference is that this film is half a century older. A tramp (Arliss) is, through a series of plot twists, made a manager of a bank, in order to cover the unscrupulous dealings of two businessmen, who think him to be a simpleton. The businessmen find out to their cost as Arliss outsmarts and bankrupts them. The film also nicely parodies Arliss' early movie The House of Rothschild.