D’Ye Ken John Peel? (1935)

Right from the start, we realise that "Sir Charles Hawksley - aka "Craven"" (Leslie Perrins) is a bit of a bounder. Now that the Napoleonic wars are all but over, he is intent on returning home leaving "Toinette" (Mary Lawson) in the lurch. Luckily for her, gallant "Maj. Peel" (John Garrick) is on hand to rectify matters. Back in Britain with the war now ended, we discover that our protagonist is at it again - this time forcing the rather incompetent gambler "Merrall" (Charles Carson) to the brink of homelessness and bankruptcy. His price? Well he gets to marry his daughter "Lucy" (Winifred Shotter). Reluctantly, she agrees - but a chance encounter with the reputable "Peel" - who's has the odd scrape himself since returning - might just offer her a way out! It's a competently strung together tale of honour and chivalry that I felt needed just one thing - Tod Slaughter. He in the role of the deceitful, manipulative, baddie would have done the trick for me. Otherwise, this is all a rather weakly cast costume drama with the odd bit of action and one or two rather lengthy, though quite amusing, songs/monologues from the actual star of the thing - Stanley Holloway. I like the genre so it's my kind of film and I did quite enjoy it, it's just something that could have been a bit less wordy and a bit more lively.