Radio Pirates

The Houses of Parliament are covered in even more scaffolding than usual in this lively quota quickie gracefully photographed by Hone Glendining with a plot that anticipates Radio Caroline and a climax that anticipates 'My Learned Friend'. (The casual nature of the enterprise is indicated by the fact that the leads use their real first names.)

Leslie French makes his film debut playing what was probably his only big screen lead, flanked by appearances from everyone from a floppy-haired young Hughie Green impersonating Mae West to hefty xylophone player Teddy Brown (who delivers the couple of lines entrusted to him hilariously woodenly). The always charming Mary Lawson (later killed in the Blitz) tap dances, not well but one is impressed that she does it at all; while glossy femme fatale Enid Stamp-Taylor gets to sing.