Aunt Sally (film)

Aunt Sally
Aunt Sally
Directed by	Tim Whelan
Written by	Guy Bolton ; Austin Melford ; A. R. Rawlinson ; Tim Whelan
Produced by	Michael Balcon
Starring	Cicely Courtneidge ; Sam Hardy ; Phyllis Clare ; Hartley Power
Cinematography	Charles Van Enger
Edited by	Derek N. Twist
Music by	Harry M. Woods
Production; company	Gainsborough Pictures
Distributed by	Gaumont British Distributors
Release date	December 1933;
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Aunt Sally is a 1933 British musical comedy film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Cicely Courtneidge, Sam Hardy and Phyllis Clare. The film was made by Gainsborough Pictures at their Islington Studios,^[1] and released in the U.S. as Along Came Sally.^[2]

Premise

An American impresario trying to set up his new show in London tries to fend off an enthusiastic English performer's attempts to get in his show. She eventually tricks him into giving her the lead part by disguising herself as a French star.

Cast

Cicely Courtneidge as Sally Bird / Mademoiselle Zaza
Sam Hardy as Michael 'King' Kelly
Phyllis Clare as Queenie Mills
Billy Milton as Billy
Hartley Power as 'Gloves' Clark
Ben Welden as Casino
Enrico Naldi as Little Joe
Ann Hope as Joan
Ivor McLaren as Madison
Rex Evans as Percy
Tubby Cipin as Tubby
Leslie Holmes as Night Club Singer
Debroy Somers as Bandleader
The Three Admirals as Night Club Act
Carlyle Cousins as Night Club Act

Critical reception

The New York Times found Cicely Courtneidge "not nearly as hilarious as most of the characters in "Along Came Sally" seem to believe," the reviewer concluding that the film has "several fair songs, an equal number of laughs and some dance routines that unsuccessfully ape the grand Hollywood manner";^[3] whereas more recently, the Radio Times noted "A vehicle for the irrepressible comedienne and musical comedy star Cicely Courtneidge," calling it, a "good-natured and thoroughly silly little British musical," and concluding, "this is a romp for addicts of 1930s English nostalgia who will enjoy the numbers performed by such forgotten acts of the time."^[4]