Save a Little Sunshine

Bizarre early British comedy starring the utterly forgotten Dave Willis - it's impossible to find a picture of him - one of those prewar characters they really don't make any more, even in Scotland. He's half-way between Chaplin's little tramp and George Formby - the theme being the little man asserting himself - a niche later filled by Norman Wisdom, but Willis is man of such dubious charisma and talent that it's a wonder he ever made it onto the music hall stage, never mind the big screen. He's so awful he might be adorable were it not for the Hitler 'tache and whiny Scottish voice which send you either recoiling from the screen or peering closely in disbelief.

It's a boarding house farce, unimproved by the surprisingly dire Tommy Trinder and Max Wall as a resident double act (though to be fair, they're supposed to be dire), but redeemed somewhat by the surprisingly good Pat Kirkwood, who is like a homely Merle Oberon and can sing to boot. Not a good film, but for comedy historians, fairly priceless.