Made at Pinewood Studios, this British film was produced by a small film company that made just a dozen or so movies from 1949 to 1962. As with most such films and endeavors, the cast of "All Over the Town" doesn't have big name stars or even well-known supporting actors of the time. Most of the cast will hardly be recognized in the 21st century outside of the UK. The female lead, Sally Thorpe, is played by Sarah Churchill, the actress daughter of Winston Churchill. She had a respectable career as an actress, and had a good supporting role with Fred Astaire, Jane Powell and Peter Lawford in "Royal Wedding" of 1951. Overall, the ensemble of characters in this film does a fine job.
The story is set in a fictitious town on the English coast. The promo for the film plays up exposure of some corruption in the small town of Tormouth, but that is just a small part that serves as the climax to the story. The film is about a town native returning home after the war and getting his job back as the "star" reporter on the weekly Clarion newspaper. Such weekly papers were printed in small towns all across Canada, the U. S. A., England and many other European countries through the 20th century. With the coming of the Internet and rapid growth of electronic technology, many small papers went out of business by the early 21st century. Even large daily papers have declined as print news readership overall continues to decline.
Norman Wooland plays the returning veteran, Nat Hearn. Sarah Churchill's Sally Thorpe is the local reporter who had taken over for Nat when he went off to military service during the war. The plot is a good mix of light comedy, drama and a slowly developing love story. It portrays the type of reporting, news, and printing of the local nature that the big city newspapers don't provide - or even consider news. By the same token, the small towns and weekly papers are challenged to have much of real news to report. Changes occur after Nat's return and the death of the publisher of the town paper.
Very few films have been made with weekly newspaper production a core part of the story. So, this film has some added value for history and education. The small papers as well as the dailies in county seats for ages have been the official public records of local government actions and required pubic notices. As a former newspaperman, having worked on two daily newspapers, I particularly enjoyed the scenes showing some of the antiquated printing presses used in the past - including an old flatbed press and an ancient hand press.
This is a nice picture of the small-town press and its role and service in the community. Its regular fodder includes the vital statistics (birth, deaths), accidents and illnesses, local visits, social events, family items, legal notices, sports and club activities and reviewing the local theater production and covering the town council meetings.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Mr. Baines, "Glad to see you got back. But you've been long enough about it." Nat Hearn, "Yes, just tidying up the Orient, you know." Baines, "Uh, huh, this town needs a bit of tidying up too, come to that. But, uh, things are moving."
Mr. Baines, "Progress with taste - that's my motto. Progress with taste."
Mr. Vince, "You make him, miss. He'll listen to a skirt."
Sally Thorpe, "Why don't you chuck it and get out?" Nat Hearn, "Because it's not the answer. There's nothing wrong with the people. They're the same town that fought the war. All they want is someone to take an interest in their own affairs. Anything wrong with that?" Sally, "Nothing. Only I'm afraid you're in for a big disappointment." Nat, "Perhaps I am."
Sally Thorpe, "You're a bit of a mystery to me. You oughtn't be a nice person at all, but you are. Rather." Nat Hearn, "I just believe in people, that's all. Seems a pity you don't."
Nat Hearn, "Detail, Trumble, detail. Never despise detail. It's our meat, drink, bread, butter, salt, pepper and mustard."
