Kipps (1941) Michael Redgrave, Phyllis Calvert FULL UK RELEASE PRINT!

Perfect casting, script & acting make “Kipps“, based on the novel by , a wonderful and hugely entertaining film. Michael Redgrave, as the lead character (who finds that money cannot buy true happiness) heads a sterling cast of British players, with Phyllis Calvert & Diana Wynyard as the two women in his life. The film was directed by Carol Reed at the Gaumont British studios in England, but was one of the films financed by Twentieth Century Fox through the deal struck when Gaumont British faced a financial crisis in 1938. Child actors Philip Frost & Diana Calderwood portray Kipps and his first love Ann as children, and their sensitive performances for the first 15 minutes of the film draw the viewer in for the story to follow. Philip Frost metamorphizing into Michael Redgrave is believable, except for the fact that Master Frost and Mr Redgrave part their hair on opposite sides! “Kipps“ has been transmitted several times on C4, but the last screening was now over 10 years ago, and with no sign of any dvd release, this film is a most worthy candidate for re-appraisal. The story was of course remade as the musical “Half a sixpence“ with Tommy Steele, and although this original film was not a musical, there are a few musical interludes along the way. Recently the cut down US release print of the film has been shown on Talking Pictures TV in the UK, but presented here is the longer UK release as shown over 10 years ago on C4.