Director/star Tom Walls and the justly famous Aldwych farceur Ben Travers have most successfully brought off an extremely difficult and ingeniously clever balancing trick with Stormy Weather in which farce and drama are masterfully combined so that neither element undermines but rather re-inforces the effectiveness of the other. So far as the Travers' screenplay is concerned, this brilliant feat is accomplished not only by judicious writing and inspired cross-cutting but by creatively definitive and vigorously drawn characterizations. Admirably, Travers has also seized upon the freedom offered by the screen to make full use of frequent changes of scene and has invested his script with plenty of opportunities for moodily magnificent production values.
As for the direction, Walls has not only induced his players to give of their best (as we would have every reason to anticipate), but unexpectedly reveals himself to be a real craftsman with atmosphere (in which of course he is aided by Philip Tannura's misty lighting, Vetchinsky's eye-catching sets and Roome's pacey film editing).
Most admirably, Walls has persuaded Ralph Lynn to tone down his usual silly ass shenanigans. He's even funnier here and much more sympathetic with his child-like comebacks and inherent faith in his own disabilities. And I loved his sense of justice (or rather injustice) which he so strenuously pursues despite multiple dissuasions.
Poor old Robertson Hare, of course, is once again lumbered as the aggressively self-promoting fall-guy of the piece, but superbly manages to make his Bullock both humorous and humorless. Yvonne Arnaud is also as tizzy as ever, but this time she is given some genuinely funny lines and hilarious bits of business.
In the support cast, a special accolade must be awarded to the languidly exotic Stella Moya (here making the first of only four movie appearances), who contributes a truly charismatic study of an ill-used Chinese lass. Gordon James and Engelmann's other henchmen are likewise exotically colorful. And along with Stella Moya and company, we must not forget the lovely Veronica Rose who enlivens a couple of scenes with Tom Walls. Which brings us to Mr Walls himself. Walls invests his own impersonation with a delightfully off-handed cynical wit. Despite the character's inherent lack of charm, Walls manages the remarkable feat of making this self-centered, self-important little Caesar not only screamingly funny but even warm and companionable.
