Review for Ealing Studios Rarities Collection : Volume 4

It’s quite incredible that Ealing Studios made more than 150 films over three decades. Particularly when even hardened film fans struggle to name more than half a dozen. Network have been on something of a mission to release many of the studios lesser knoen films, often for the first time since their theatrical releases. Using the best possible prints, each of the transfers look better than we had any right to expect and all offered up in correct aspect ratios too. The least we could all do is is to support these endeavours by buying these sets! 



Volume 4 of the Ealing rarities collections from Network continues to deliver the goods. Thus far I’ve enjoyed ‘3 out of 4’ of each of the previous volumes, a good ratio for any compendium set, and that ratio is maintained yet again.


The Secret of the Loch (1934)


Things get off to a rip-roaringly good start with ‘The Secret of the Loch’, a creaking low budget monster-movie set to rival Universal’s output of the time. Following reports that a well-respected professor has seen the legendary Loch Ness monster with his own eyes, A young reporter heads off to Loch Ness to the monster for himself.


Terrible Scottish accents abound in the cheery pub at Loch Ness where a sea of reporters gather to get the scoop. Without spoiling the fun, it transpires that the Loch Ness monster (it exists!) looks suspiciously like an iguana when our brave reporter dives to the bottom of the lake to prove that the Professor isn’t losing his marbles. Oh – and to get his daughter’s hand in marriage. A great wheeze all round. 


Birds of Prey (1930)


Despite its considerable age, this looks in far better nick than it deserves to be. Another Basil Dean directed piece based on a murder play by A.A.Milne (yep – the Winnie-the-Pooh bloke) which features an ex-Police commissioner who is the subject of a revenge attack by some convicts he put away some years before.


Set in a large country house full of unlikely visitors it’s terribly Agatha Christie-like as the mystery unravels and is solved by two young lovers. It’s a very stagey looking film but entertaining enough. It features some lovely exterior segments, as well as plenty in the dining room and sitting room of a large stately home.


The entire cast play to the back of the room in a way most un-befitting for film but this only adds to its period charm. It features some early performances from Nigel Bruce, Jack Hawkins and C. Aubrey Smith and this alone makes it a worthwhile and rewarding watch.

The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947)

The Loves of Joanna Godden is the first of two slightly later films, heading towards the Ealing comedy heyday of 1949 and beyond. Googie Withers was, by this time, something of a star often found playing strong, plucky women, arguably a role model for those who ‘came out of the kitchen’ during the war to more significant roles in society.


This film is no exception. Set in the early 1900’s in rural Britain, it is essentially the portrayal of a woman in a man’s world. Playing opposite her real-life husband (to be), John McCallum, she is left he Father’s farm and rather than merely falling in to the arms of her lover she rejects marriage and is determined to run the farm on her own, her way. 


So what follows is a melodramatic sequence of loves and misdemeanours, as well as successes and failures as her ‘my way or the highway’ approach to farming takes its course.
It’s a lovely looking film and, despite being something of a latter-day soap opera, rattles along at a nice pace and is a fun watch.

Davy (1957)

The final film in the set is a much later piece from after the Ealing hey-day, when the studio had been sold to MGM. Featuring Goons favourite Harry Secombe in the starring role it’s a forgettable ‘back stage’ drama showing an artist in turmoil, torn between loyalty to his old family troupe or to new opportunities in opera.


It stands out on the set as it’s super-widescreen and colour, though is by far the least interesting film of the set for me. Secombe does Secombe and there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy some of his singing alongside examples of his zany wit.