Head Over Heels ***½ (1937, Jessie Matthews, Louis Borel, Robert Flemyng) – Classic Movie Review 9935

Director Sonnie Hale’s 1937 Head Over Heels [Head Over Heels in Love] stars Jessie Matthews as Paris singer Jeanne, who is torn between solid, dependable wireless engineer Pierre (Robert Flemyng) and no-good man-about-town Marcel (Louis Borel). But Marcel prefers a movie actress, glamorous film star Norma (Helen Whitney Bourne), and Pierre helps Jeanne find her work on the radio and become a radio star. When Marcel reappears on the scene, Pierre fights a battle with him for Jeanne.

There is also a stodgy subplot about battles over a radio station boycott.

This cute Thirties British black and white musical comedy, based on François de Croisset’s 1931 play Pierre ou Jac, is featherweight, fluffy and frothy. The delightful Jessie is fine with the brittle comedy but on her best form with the appealing Mack Gordon-Harry Revel songs.

She is directed indulgently but sympathetically by her husband, Hale, in his first of his three films with her (followed by Gangway and Sailing Along).

The delightful, delicious and de-lovely songs include ‘Head Over Heels in Love’, ‘May I Have the Next Romance with You?’ and ‘Looking Around Corners for You.’

Head Over Heels [Head Over Heels in Love] is directed by Sonnie Hale, runs 81 minutes, is made by Gaumont British , is released by Gaumont British Distributors, is written by Dwight Taylor (adaptation and dialogue), Fred Thompson (adaptation) and Marjorie Gaffney (scenario), based on François de Croisset’s play Pierre ou Jac, is shot in black and white by Glen MacWilliams, is produced by S C Balcon, is scored by Louis Levy, with music by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel (words and music), is designed by Alfred Junge, with choreography by Buddy Bradley.

Also in the cast are Romney Brent, Helen Whitney Bourne, Eliot Makeham, Paul Leyssac, Fred Duprez, Edward Cooper, Buddy Bradley, Edward Wild, Leonard Berry, Arthur Denton, Paul Sheridan, David Farrar, Peter Popp, Cat D’Ordeau, Molly Weeks, John Barrie, Harold Birch, Marcel Duchamps and Clement Dutto.

It was made at the Lime Grove Studios in London.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9935

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