Synopsis
Radio personality Eamonn Andrews shows a group of young female volunteers around the attractions of the Festival Of Britain.
1951 Directed by Edwin J. Fancey
Radio personality Eamonn Andrews shows a group of young female volunteers around the attractions of the Festival Of Britain.
E J Fancey’s documentary musical comedy gives a Tour conducted by Eamonn Andrews around the Battersea Festival to a BBC Studio to hear The Goons of radio fame.
Being honest, this movie doesn’t appeal on paper and the result on screen matches this.
The story concerns radio character Eammon Andrews who gives a gang of young female helpers a tour around the enticements of the Battersea Festival.
The direction from Fancey is OK but it should have been better, such as showing more facial expressions to a stronger effect, while also having more of a tense atmosphere happening as well – this doesn’t occur much.
The script is written to an OK standard by Jimmy Grafton as it is weak…
Documentary about The Festival Of Britain, that feels the need to shoehorn in a plot of sorts about a ladies escort agency. Eamonn Andrews is on hand to provide a commentary. A few second rate variety acts are seen, as well as the early Goons complete with Bentine. Mostly dire, but a few moments of historical interest.
"We're going to the Festival Hall to hear the Eastbourne Girls' Choir."
A real curate's egg, this film.
It uses a number of diverse elements: planning for the Festival of Britain, a brief snippet of a Goon Show recording in Broadcasting House Theatre (all four of the original team), a group of rather posh girls trying to get their sightseeing venture 'At Your Service' off the ground, a rather regal Gloria Swanson viewing the skeleton of what became the Royal Festival Hall, and Eamonn Andrews, to justify both its bloated running time (twenty minutes would have been sufficient) and its title.
The trouble is, this is too bitty to be 'entertaining', although it is certainly valuable to…