- Old Bones of the River
-
Old Bones of the River 
Directed by Marcel Varnel Written by Marriott Edgar
Val Guest
J.O.C. OrtonStarring Will Hay
Graham Moffatt
Moore MarriottCinematography Arthur Crabtree Editing by R.E. Dearing
Alfred RoomeRelease date(s) 1938 Running time 90 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English Old Bones of the River is a comedy film released in 1938 starring British actor Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. The film is a spoof of the 1935 movie, Sanders of the River, and has been described as "the most comprehensive trashing of the British Empire ever put on celluloid."[1]
Contents
Synopsis
Hay plays Professor Benjamin Tibbetts, representative of the Teaching & Welfare Institution for the Reformation of Pagans (otherwise known as T.W.I.R.P for short), and dedicated to spreading education amongst the natives of colonial Africa.
As he arrives (still trying to learn the native language via recordings), Professor Tibbetts is tricked into sneaking a gin still into the country by a local prince.
Later, Tibbetts makes his way to Kombooli High, where his students wear Eton collars alongside their native garb and Tibbetts finds himself sporting a mortarboard and safari shorts due to the heat.
When the Commissioner falls ill with a dose of malaria, Tibbetts is forced to take over his duties, which include collecting the taxes. Upriver, he finds an old paddlesteamer operated by Harbottle (Moore Marriott) and Albert (Graham Moffatt) and the threesome rescue a baby from death by sacrifice.
Unfortunately, they also manage to precipitate a native uprising...
Cast
- Will Hay as Professor Benjamin Tibbetts
- Moore Marriott as Jerry Harbottle
- Graham Moffatt as Albert
- Robert Adams as Bosambo
- Jack London as M'Bapi
- Wyndham Goldie as Commissioner Sanders
- Jack Livesey as Captain Hamilton
Notes
External links
The films of Will Hay Feature films Those Were the Days · Radio Parade of 1935 · Dandy Dick · Boys Will Be Boys · Windbag the Sailor · Where There's a Will · Oh, Mr Porter! · Good Morning, Boys · Hey! Hey! USA · Old Bones of the River · Ask a Policeman · Convict 99 · The Big Blockade · Where's That Fire? · The Ghost of St. Michael's · Go to Blazes · The Goose Steps Out · The Black Sheep of Whitehall · My Learned FriendActors Directors Distributors The films of Marcel Varnel 1930s The Silent Witness (1932) • Chandu the Magician (1932) • Infernal Machine (1933) • Freedom of the Seas (1934) • Girls Will Be Boys (1934) • Royal Cavalcade (1935) • Dance Band (1935) • I Give My Heart (1935) • No Monkey Business (1935) • All In (1936) • Public Nuisance No. 1 (1936) • Good Morning, Boys (1937) • Oh, Mr. Porter! (1937) • Convict 99 (1938) • Alf's Button Afloat (1938) • Hey! Hey! USA (1938) • Old Bones of the River (1938) • Ask a Policeman (1939) • The Frozen Limits (1939)1940s Where's That Fire? (1940) • O-Kay for Sound (1940) • Band Waggon (1940) • Let George Do It (1940) • Neutral Port (1940) • Gasbags (1941) • The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941) • Turned Out Nice Again (1941) • I Thank You (1941) • South American George (1941) • Hi Gang! (1941) • Much Too Shy (1942) • King Arthur Was a Gentleman (1942) • Get Cracking (1943) • He Snoops to Conquer (1944) • Bell-Bottom George (1944) • I Didn't Do It (1945) • George in Civvy Street (1946) This Man Is Mine (1946) •Categories:- British films
- English-language films
- 1938 films
- 1930s comedy films
- Black-and-white films
- British comedy films
- Colonialism
- Films directed by Marcel Varnel
- Films set in Africa
- Films set in the British Empire
- 1930s British film stubs
- 1930s comedy film stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
