Cotton Queen [Crying Out Loud] *** (1937, Stanley Holloway, Will Fyffe, Mary Lawson, Helen Haye, Jimmy Hanley) – Classic Movie Review 13,710

The often very amusing 1937 British farcical comedy film Cotton Queen [Crying Out Loud] stars Stanley Holloway, Will Fyffe, Mary Lawson, Helen Haye, and Jimmy Hanley.

Director Bernard Vorhaus’s 1937 British comedy film Cotton Queen [Crying Out Loud] stars Stanley Holloway, Will Fyffe, Mary Lawson, Helen Haye, and Jimmy Hanley.

Stanley Holloway and Will Fyffe play rival cotton mill owners who work together to win a contract when love blossoms between one’s niece (Mary Lawson) and the rival’s son (Jimmy Hanley).

Cotton Queen is a perhaps slightly below-par but even so often very amusing British 1930s farcical comedy about trouble at mill when one Lancashire owner (Stanley Holloway)’s novelist niece (Mary Lawson) pretends to be a worker at another man (Will Fyffe)’s factory for a bit of light-hearted industrial espionage. But, Romeo and Juliet-style, Lawson finds that she fancies Fyffe’s son (Jimmy Hanley), then the rival businessmen find that if they can find a way to merge they will scoop a huge US order, and finally there is the festival to choose the Cotton Queen.

The rickety, hit-and-miss script by Louis Golding and Scott Pembroke, based on a story by Syd Courtenay who also appears in the film, sometimes defeats even Holloway and Fyffe. But there are many genuinely funny moments and the admirable actors are their own recommendation, especially for fans of British music hall and old movies. Stanley Holloway and Will Fyffe are extremely likeable and entertaining.

The author of the original story, Syd Courtenay, provides a support role for himself as the mayor.

Cast: Stanley Holloway, Will Fyffe, Mary Lawson, Helen Haye, Jimmy Hanley, C Denier Warren, Marcelle Rogez, Syd Courtenay, Gibson Gowland, Elsie Wagstaff, Syd Crossley, D J Williams, Mike Johnson, Sam Wilkinson, Esma Cannon, James Knight, Ernest Sefton, Bill Shine.

The opening credits also include Doris Bowers as Cotton Queen (Bolton), Edna Taylor as Ex-Cotton Queen (Oldham) and 18 Finalists.

It is made at The Rock Studios, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, and on location in Blackpool and Manchester, by independent producer Joe Rock.

Release date: May 1937.

Runtime: 80 minutes.

Cotton Queen was the final film American film director Bernard Vorhaus made in Britain.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,710

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