The Great Game (1953 film)

The Great Game is a 1953 British sports comedy-drama directed by Maurice Elvey and starring James Hayter, Thora Hird and Diana Dors. It was based on a play by Basil Thomas.[1] Many of the scenes were shot at Griffin Park the home of Brentford F.C..[2] Several professional football players made appearances in the film including Tommy Lawton.

The Great Game
Original British theatrical poster
Directed byMaurice Elvey
Produced byDavid Dent
Written byWolfgang Wilhelm
Based onthe play Shooting Star by Basil Thomas
StarringJames Hayter
Thora Hird
Diana Dors
John Laurie
Music byW.L. Trytel
CinematographyPhil Grindrod
Edited byLito Carruthers
Production
company
Advance
Distributed byAdelphi Films
Release date
  • January 1953 (1953-01)
(UK)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The chairman of a relegation zone English football club makes an illegal approach to a rising star of a rival club. This is discovered by the football authorities and the Chairman is ultimately suspended from the game following the ensuing scandal.[3]

Cast

Original Play

The film was based on a play "Shooting Star" by Basil Thomas which premiered in 1949.[4] Thomas was a football fan who decided to write a play about the transfer system. He says managers and directors were keen to co operate. Among the people Thomas interviewed were Ted Vizard, Stan Cullis and Claude Jephcott.[5][6]

1949 TV Adaptation

The play was filmed for TV in 1949.[7]

Cast
  • Derek Blomfield as Ned Rutter
  • Colin Douglas as Jack Bannerman
  • Charmian Eyre as Mavis Pink
  • Raymond Francis as Mr Blake
  • Heather Gratrix as Lulu Smith
  • James Hayter as Joe Lawson
  • Avice Landone as Miss Rawlings
  • Cameron Miller as Wells
  • Robert Perceval aS Ben Woodhall
  • Frank Pettitt as Skid Evans
  • Ann Titheradge as Beryl Armstrong

Production

Film rights were bought by Adelphi who made a number of low budget comedies. They also made Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? with Dors.[8][9]

Critical reception

Picture Show called it an "unpretentious but most enjoyable comedy."[10]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "the humour is stale".[11]

The Digital Fix found the film "largely insignificant and admittedly musters up little interest, but then it is offset with a gentle humour and plenty of broad comedy characterisation from its supporting cast; nobody could ogle Dors’ sexpot secretary quite like John Laurie does in the opening scene." [12]

References
  1. Hal Erickson. "The Great Game (1953) - Maurice Elvey - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  2. malcolmgsw (1 January 1953). "The Great Game (1953)". IMDb.
  3. "The Great Game (1952)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  4. shooting Star at National Archives
  5. Thomas, Basil. "On Why I Wrote "Shooting Star" in Program for "Shooting Star" from 1949". Mercury Theatre. p. 5.
  6. "A Sports Letter From London". The Newcastle Sun (9810). New South Wales, Australia. 11 June 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 11 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. Shooting Star at British Universities
  8. David Dent obituary Dent, Jonathan. The Guardian (Online), London (UK): Guardian News & Media Limited. May 6, 2020.
  9. Vagg, Stephen (7 September 2020). "A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee". Filmink.
  10. THE GREAT GAME (directed by Maurice Elvey). Adelphi Hughes, Maud. Picture Show; London Vol. 60, Iss. 1571, (May 9, 1953): 2.
  11. GREAT GAME, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 20, Iss. 228, (Jan 1, 1953): 36.
  12. "Film @ The Digital Fix - Miss Tulip Stays the Night / The Great Game". Film @ The Digital Fix.


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