The_Great_Game_(1953_film)

<i>The Great Game</i> (1953 film)

The Great Game (1953 film)

1953 film by Maurice Elvey

The Great Game is a 1953 British sports comedy-drama directed by Maurice Elvey and starring James Hayter, Thora Hird and Diana Dors. It was based on a play by Basil Thomas.[1] Many of the scenes were shot at Griffin Park the home of Brentford F.C.[2] Several professional football players made appearances in the film including Tommy Lawton.

Quick Facts The Great Game, Directed by ...

Plot

The chairman of a relegation zone English football club makes an illegal approach to a rising star of a rival club. This is discovered by the football authorities and the chairman is ultimately suspended from the game following the ensuing scandal.[3]

Cast

Original play

The film was based on a play "Shooting Star" by Basil Thomas which premiered in 1949.[4] Thomas was a football fan who decided to write a play about the transfer system. He says managers and directors were keen to co operate. Among the people Thomas interviewed were Ted Vizard, Stan Cullis and Claude Jephcott.[5][6]

1949 TV adaptation

The play was filmed for TV in 1949.[7]

Cast

  • Derek Blomfield as Ned Rutter
  • Colin Douglas as Jack Bannerman
  • Charmian Eyre as Mavis Pink
  • Raymond Francis as Mr Blake
  • Heather Gratrix as Lulu Smith
  • James Hayter as Joe Lawson
  • Avice Landone as Miss Rawlings
  • Cameron Miller as Wells
  • Robert Perceval aS Ben Woodhall
  • Frank Pettitt as Skid Evans
  • Ann Titheradge as Beryl Armstrong

Production

Film rights were bought by Adelphi who made a number of low budget comedies. They also made Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? with Dors.[8][9]

Critical reception

Picture Show called it an "unpretentious but most enjoyable comedy."[10]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "the humour is stale".[11]

The Digital Fix found the film "largely insignificant and admittedly musters up little interest, but then it is offset with a gentle humour and plenty of broad comedy characterisation from its supporting cast; nobody could ogle Dors’ sexpot secretary quite like John Laurie does in the opening scene."[12]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Hal Erickson. "The Great Game (1953) - Maurice Elvey - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  2. [2]
    malcolmgsw (1 January 1953). "The Great Game (1953)". IMDb.
  3. [3]
    "The Great Game (1952)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  4. [4]
    shooting Star at National Archives
  5. [5]
    Thomas, Basil. "On Why I Wrote "Shooting Star" in Program for "Shooting Star" from 1949". Mercury Theatre. p. 5.
  6. [6]
    "A Sports Letter From London". The Newcastle Sun. No. 9810. New South Wales, Australia. 11 June 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 11 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. [7]
    Shooting Star at British Universities
  8. [8]
    David Dent obituary Dent, Jonathan. The Guardian (Online), London (UK): Guardian News & Media Limited. May 6, 2020.
  9. [9]
    Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
  10. [10]
    THE GREAT GAME (directed by Maurice Elvey). Adelphi Hughes, Maud. Picture Show; London Vol. 60, Iss. 1571, (May 9, 1953): 2.
  11. [11]
    GREAT GAME, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 20, Iss. 228, (Jan 1, 1953): 36.
  12. [12]
    "Film @ The Digital Fix - Miss Tulip Stays the Night / The Great Game". Film @ The Digital Fix.
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