The ebullient comedy films of the 1930s brought escape and laughter to millions of British cinemagoers, enabling veteran stars of the music-hall and theatre to reach out to a wider audience – making household names of performers like Leslie Fuller, Hal Gordon, Bobby Howes, Ernest Lotinga and Gene Gerrard.

Although comedy would prove to be the decade's most successful film genre, many of these classic early talkies have remained unseen since their original release. This ongoing collection showcases a wealth of rare features, each presented uncut, in a brand-new transfer from the best available elements in their as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio.

HOUSEMASTER (1938)
The incoming headmaster of a venerable public school causes ructions when he unleashes a welter of red tape and puritanical 'reforms'.

Cast In Alphabetical Order

Cecil Parker as Sir Berkeley Nightingale Diana Churchill as Rosemary Faringdon Henry Hepworth as Bimbo Faringdon Jimmy Hanley as Travers John Wood as Flossie Nightingale Joyce Barbour as Barbara Fane Kynaston Reeves as The Rev. Ovington Laurence Kitchin as Crump Michael Shepley as Victor Beamish Otto Kruger as Charles Donkin Phillips Holmes as Philip de Pourville René Ray as Chris Faringdon Rosamond Barnes as Button Faringdon Walter Hudd as Frank Hastings

Crew

Produced by Walter C. Mycroft Directed by Herbert Brenon Scenario by Dudley Leslie & Elizabeth Meehan Story by Ian Hay Running Time 92 minutes. Theatrical Release 1938