Tuesday, June 22, 2021

A Fire Has Been Arranged (1935)

A superbly strange crime-comedy-musical with many elements of classic British music hall humour. Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allan and Hal Walters rob a jewellery store and hide the loot in a field before they are pinched by the Old Bill. After doing ten years bird and now free men again, they come looking for their buried loot and find a swanky Art Deco department store has been built on top of it!

The store, run by the even more crooked Cutte (Alastair Sims) and Shuffle (C. Denier Warren), is in trouble though. The books have been thoroughly cooked and the shareholders are in revolt. Cutte has the bright idea to have the store burnt down to claim the insurance money. He needs to commit arson, when his security catch Bud, Chesney and Hal casing out the store he discovers the perfect men to carry out his dastardly deed. What can go wrong? Well basically everything!

A very funny and silly film full of gags and silly situations. There are also a few sound and dance routines by the Buddy Bradley Rhythm Girls. Betty (Mary Lawson) is the daughter of the jewellery store owner who now works at the department store, however this bit of plot isn't really explored in any depth. Despite that a definite hit.