The Calendar (1948 film)

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The Calendar
"The Calendar" (1948 film).jpg
Original pressbook
Directed byArthur Crabtree
Written byGeoffrey Kerr
Based onThe Calendar
by Edgar Wallace
Produced byAntony Darnborough
StarringGreta Gynt
John McCallum
CinematographyCyril J. Knowles
Reginald H. Wyer
Edited byJean Barker
Music byArthur Wilkinson
Production
company
Gainsborough Pictures
Distributed byGeneral Film Distributors (UK)
Eagle Lion (US)
Release date
26 May 1948 (London) (UK)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office£92,000 (by July 1953([1]

The Calendar is a black and white 1948 British drama film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Greta Gynt, John McCallum, Raymond Lovell and Leslie Dwyer.[2] It is based on the 1929 play The Calendar and subsequent novel by Edgar Wallace that had previously been adapted in 1931.[3]

Plot[]

Gary is a racehorse owner. After he loses money at the races, his fiancee Weanda jilts him and marries Lord Willis Panniford, whose sister Molly trains Gary's horses.

Whilst drowning his sorrows, the racehorse owner becomes involved in a big-race scandal. The plot is to steal his own prize horse before a race, therefore increasing the odds in another big race, the Ascot Gold Cup.

Stewards run an inquiry into the running of Garry's horse. Wanda is called as a witness. She denies that Garry's first telegram telling her not to back his horse was cancelled by another message from him before the race took place.

Molly knows that Garry stopped dishonest running plan. She gets Garry's second note to Wenda and shows it to the stewards just before running of Gold Cup race.

Garry is cleared of the charge.[4]

Cast[]

  • Greta Gynt as Wenda Panniford
  • John McCallum as Captain Garry Anson
  • Raymond Lovell as Lord Willie Panniford
  • Sonia Holm as Lady Mollie Panniford
  • Leslie Dwyer as Sam Hillcott
  • Charles Victor as John Dory
  • Felix Aylmer as Lord Forlingham
  • Diana Dors as Hawkins
  • Cyril Chamberlain as Customs Official
  • Sidney King as Tony
  • Noel Howlett as Lawyer
  • Barry Jones as Sir John Garth
  • Claude Bailey as Lord Inspond
  • Desmond Roberts as Rainby
  • Fred Payne as Andy Lynn

Production[]

The Calendar had been a popular novel and play, and filmed in 1931. Sydney Box decided to film it again as part of his slate of movies at Gainsborough Studios.

In June 1947 Gainsborough announced that the film would feature the comedy team of Basil Radford and Nauton Wayne.[5] Neither appear in the final movie. ThBe film was to be one of two movies about horse racing made by Gainsborough the other being Becher's Brook. The films were meant to be directed by Maurice Elvey but he was fired by Gainsborough's head f production Sydney Box and replaced by Arthur Crabtree.[6]

It was an early lead role for Australian actor John McCallum who had been in The Loves of Joanna Godden. Filming took place in October 1947.[7] It was mostly shot at Shepherd's Bush studios in London. There was location filming at Ascot and Hurst Park.[8] It was the first time royal permission was given to film on the royal course.[9]

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

Britmovie called the film a "tepid melodrama";[10] while David Parkinson, in the Radio Times, wrote, "British cinema was heavily dependent on the mysteries of Edgar Wallace in the early talkie era. Few of these creaky thrillers were ever remade, until someone at Gainsborough Productions felt the need to bring this veritable stage warhorse under starter's orders for a second time. It's all clipped accents and impossibly earnest hamming from the off...fans of Dick Francis may find it amusing."[11]

Box Office[]

By July 1953 its net revenue was £93,000 a performance regarded by John Davis of Rank as "average".[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Spicer, Andrew (2006). Sydney Box. Manchester Uni Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780719059995.
  2. ^ "The Calendar". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009.
  3. ^ "The Calendar (1948) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  4. ^ "The Calendar". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 16, no. 28. Australia. 18 December 1948. p. 34. Retrieved 27 June 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "British Film Lots". Variety. 18 June 1947. p. 15.
  6. ^ "Axing by Syd Box". Variety. 23 July 1947. p. 21.
  7. ^ "New Role For Australia's John McCallum". The Sun. No. 11, 770. New South Wales, Australia. 16 October 1947. p. 16 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 27 June 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "'The Calendar' Made Again As A Film". Weekly Times. No. 4208. Victoria, Australia. 15 February 1950. p. 49. Retrieved 27 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "'The Calendar' Made Again As A Film". Weekly Times. No. 4208. Victoria, Australia. 15 February 1950. p. 49. Retrieved 27 June 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "The Calendar". britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014.
  11. ^ David Parkinson. "The Calendar". RadioTimes.

External links[]

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