Candles at Nine

To someone of my generation aged 69 I can only remember Jessie Mathews from her playing "Mrs Dale" from "Mrs Dale's Diary on 1950s BBC radio.This is the first DVD I have to show her dancing, singing & acting.Yes I too thought the actress playing Mrs Julia Carvery (Mrs Hope) was a parody of Judith Anderson's magnificent "Mrs Danvers" from "Rebecca" especially when she tried to get Jessie Mathews to throw herself out of the window.There is a cameo performance by a very young Patricia Hayes who plays Gwendolyn a daily servant girl and forever in my mind as Mrs Cravatte from Hancocks Half Hour 1950s TV version.

Yes £100,000 was a lot of "dosh" in 1944 and Jessie Mathews' unscrupulous relatives are all after a share, despite being left nothing by the late Mr.Hope.If you have seen "The Way to the Stars (1945)" there is a character in that film called "Tinkerbell".In "Candles at Nine" he has a ne'er-do well brother (Reginald Purdell) and they parody Flanders & Swan at one stage giving a humorous recital.

Fortunately Jessie Mathews has the help of an ex-detective William Gordon who saves her from these murderous relatives.In "Millions Like Us" the actor who plays the doctor here plays the butler Griggs who tries to bump off William Gordon.And contrary to "Writers Reign's" review there are a few references to wartime shortages i.e. only 5 inches of bathwater, and turning off lights.It has a mildly funny ending and I awarded it 6 stars.