The Galloping Major *** (1951, Basil Radford, Janette Scott, Hugh Griffith, Jimmy Hanley, René Ray, Joyce Grenfell, Sydney Tafler) – Classic Movie Review 7945

Director Henry Cornelius’s 1951 character-led comedy The Galloping Major is Romulus Films’ attempt to get in the running with rival Ealing Studios, in which a mixed bag of British stereotypes is gathered together by sports-mad, retired Major Arthur Hill (Basil Radford) to buy a racehorse to win the Grand National horse race. Cornelius having fallen out with Ealing, it was made by Romulus Films as an independent production, backed by the Woolf Brothers, and distributed by Independent Film Distributors.

The Galloping Major is advertised as coming from the stars and director of Passport to Pimlico and Whisky Galore! [Tight Little Island]. Star Radford wrote the original story, and the screenplay is by Henry Cornelius and producer Monja Danischewsky. It is made at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London, on sets designed by Norman Arnold.

The London suburban syndicate make a mistake at the auction with the horse, and buy the wrong horse, and it disappears, but, finally Major Hill (Radford) rides it in the big race as a jumper, and, of course, all’s well that ends well.

The actors are fine, with a lot of top names in small roles, and it gallops along at a decent pace. But the sitcom-style script lacks bite, and reality is missing from the artificial and mechanical comedy. Still, it is amusing enough, with some funny lines and good gags, and lots of jolly characters.

It also stars Janette Scott, Hugh Griffith, Jimmy Hanley, René Ray, Joyce Grenfell, Sydney Tafler, Charles Victor, A E Matthews, Sidney James, Charles Hawtrey, Julian Mitchell, Alfie Bass, Duncan Lamont, Thora Hird, Leslie Phillips, Sam Kydd, Charles Lamb, Ben Williams, Dan Malvern, Joe Clarke, Pat Ray, Joe Day, Ray Carr, Billy Russell, Michael Ward, Gilbert Davis, Kenneth Evans, Tom Walls Jr, Kenneth More, Edie Martin, Arthur Mullard and Ellen Pollock, with Raymond Glendenning, Bruce Belfrage, Marion Harris Jr and Charles Smirke as Guest Artistes.

The title is taken from the 1906 British popular song ‘The Galloping Major’, written by Fred W Leigh and composed by George Bastow, who first sung it. 

The Galloping Major is directed by Henry Cornelius, runs 82 minutes, is produced by Romulus Films, British Lion Film Corporation, Riverside Studios and Sirius, is released by Independent Film Distributors (UK) and Souvaine Selective Pictures (US), is written by Monja Danischewsky and Henry Cornelius, is shot in black and white by Stanley Pavey, is produced by Monja Danischewsky, is scored by Georges Auric and is designed by Norman Arnold.

South African-born Henry Cornelius made his debut as director with Passport to Pimlico and most notably went on to make Genevieve in 1953, as well as The Galloping Major, I Am a Camera and Next to No Time. He died at only 44, having directed only five films, but is still one of the great British directors.

Cornelius first became an associate producer and screenwriter of Ealing classics like Hue and Cry and It Always Rains on Sunday. The success of Passport to Pimlico led him to ask for a pay rise, which was refused, so he left Ealing to make The Galloping Major, whose failure led him to seek to return to Ealing with the idea for Genevieve. However, studio head Michael Balcon disapproved of someone returning to Ealing after quitting, though he still recommended him and his film to the Rank Organisation.

Cornelius died while making Law and Disorder, which was finished by Charles Crichton.

On the other hand, producer Monja Danischewsky quit independent production afterwards to return working at Ealing Studios.

 © Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7945

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