Harmony Row (film) explained

Harmony Row
Director:F. W. Thring
Producer:F. W. Thring
Based On:stage show by George Wallace
Starring:George Wallace
Phyllis Baker
Cinematography:Arthur Higgins
Studio:Efftee Film Productions
Distributor:Universal Pictures
Runtime:78 mins
Country:Australia
Language:English
Budget:£11,000[1]
Gross:£18,000[2]

Harmony Row is a 1933 Australian musical comedy directed by F. W. Thring and starring popular stage comedian George Wallace. It marked the film debut of Bill Kerr.[3]

Plot

George enlists in the police force and is assigned to Harmony Row, a haunt of criminals such as Slogger Lee. He makes several friends, including the pretty street musician Molly, and boy soprano Leonard. He is persuaded to fight Slogger Lee in a boxing tournament. He manages to defeat Slogger and win, and is united with Molly.

Cast

Original play

Harmony Row
Setting:Harmony Row
Premiere:23 August 1924 [4]
Place:Newtown Majestic, Sydney
Orig Lang:English
Genre:comedy revue

The film was based on a revue Wallace had performed in the 1920s.[5] It was one of a series of "revusicals" written by Wallace during this period.[6]

In Harmony Row Wallace played "Dreadnought" an incompetent policeman called Dreadnaught.[7]

The Bulletin said "George. Wallace’s new revue, a fourth-rate coster turn with splashes of local color to make it look like home, is a wearisome affair. Only the ballet, George Wallace’s clowning and the boxing scene at the finish save it from being a dreadful example."

The revue was a success and toured through Australia.[8]

Production

Wallace and F.W. Thring decided to make a film together resulting in His Royal Highness. This was followed by Harmony Road. Wallace said the two films cost £35,000 between them.[9] In August 1932 Wallace and Thring would sign a five year contract.[10]

Most of the cast were stage actor making their film debut.[11] The film marked the feature film debut of Bill Kerr who had been cast by Thring in a proposed movie called Pick and the Duffers. That movie was not made but he was then cast in Harmony Row.[12] [13]

Filming began in Melbourne on 4 July 1932 and was finished in four weeks.[13] [14]

The full version of the film features a haunted house sequence where George unravels a mystery in a mansion. In some versions of the film this sequence was cut and replaced with one where George arrests a high society gentlemen (Campbell Copelin), thinking he's a thief.[1]

Reception

The film was released on a double bill with Diggers in Blighty and was a success at the box office.[1] The two films grossed £8000 in Melbourne and £3070 in two weeks in Sydney.[15] However Thring complained he only received a small portion of returns.

Critical

The critic from The Sydney Morning Herald called it "the first really successful picture that Efftee Films have produced."[16]

Everyones wrote, "George Wallace again proves his ability as a screen comedian, and George Wallace from now on he must be considered as a box-offlce factor. “Harmony Row” lacks the production quality of “His RoyalHighness”; it is far less ambitious technically; but it provides considerably more humor."

The film was released in England.

Re-release

Pat Hanna bought the rights to Efftee's films and kept them in circulation for many years. In 1952 Harmony Row and Diggers in Blighty were hugely successful in country towns, prompting them to be re-released in Melbourne.[17] [18]

The Age called it "scarcely more than a vaudevilllan mixture of routine situations and weak double-entendres. Easily the most interesting item is the precarious tenure of George Wallace's trousers."[19]

Notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 160.
  2. 'Counting the Cash in Australian Films', Everyones 12 December 1934 p 19 quoted in Fitzpatrick p179
  3. Stephen. Vagg. Filmink. Australian Film Musicals You Probably Didn't Realise Existed. 23 December 2019.
  4. News: NEWTOWN MAJESTIC—VAUDEVILLE AND REVUE. . . 27,031 . New South Wales, Australia . 23 August 1924 . 25 August 2024 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Majestic Theatre. . . Adelaide . 3 November 1924 . 8 August 2012 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  6. http://ozvta.com/troupes-g-l/ "George Wallace Revue Company"
  7. News: NEWTOWN VAUDEVILLE . The Daily Telegraph . 13,950 . New South Wales, Australia . 23 August 1924 . 25 August 2024 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: "HARMONY ROW" . . 2612 . New South Wales, Australia . 19 April 1926 . 25 August 2024 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: COST £35,000 TO PRODUCE . News . XIX . 2,822 . South Australia . 4 August 1932 . 25 August 2024 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: COMEDIANS' CONTRACT . The Herald . 17,252 . Victoria, Australia . 30 August 1932 . 25 August 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT FILM CELEBRITIES . . 3092 . Victoria, Australia . 13 August 1932 . 25 August 2024 . 22 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Saturday Night. . . Carnarvon, WA . 4 April 1934 . 8 August 2012 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: NEW EFFTEE FEATURE . The Herald . 17,202 . Victoria, Australia . 2 July 1932 . 25 August 2024 . 27 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: SPEED RECORD IN FILM PRODUCTION . The Herald . 17,230 . Victoria, Australia . 4 August 1932 . 25 August 2024 . 26 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Australian Films. . . 24 February 1934 . 8 August 2012 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: New Films. . . 10 April 1933 . 8 August 2012 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: SCREEN Why cant Australian films be better produced? . . 33,004 . Victoria, Australia . 14 June 1952 . 25 August 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: The stars as Wanda knew them . . 42 . 2,104 . South Australia . 4 October 1952 . 25 August 2024 . 6 (SUNDAY MAGAZINE) . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: SCREEN REVIEW-- . . 30,358 . Victoria, Australia . 16 August 1952 . 25 August 2024 . 15 . National Library of Australia.