Always a Bride (1954)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Don't Believe the Hype

Awesome Movie

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

SYNOPSIS: A small town ne'er-do-well hopes to win the girl of his choice by running for office as town mayor. NOTES: The stage play opened on Broadway at the Ambassador on 28 September 1925 and ran a very satisfactory 90 performances. Alan Dinehart both starred as the small-town backslapper and directed. COMMENT: The story of this film has hardly any affinity with its title. The plot mainly centers on the hero (George Reeves) winning the mayoral race against the firmly entrenched incumbent (Ferris Taylor). The fact that he will also win the girl (the lovely Rosemary Lane) seems almost incidental, as he is also keen to put down the town blowhard (John Eldredge), especially as that particular loudmouth has marriage designs on Miss Lane. The plot holds promise but unfortunately it is not realized, despite valiant efforts by Miss Lane and Mr Reeves. Oddly, it's the support cast that lets the side down, due both to miscasting (Francis Pierlot is right outside his range as the heroine's dad) and to Noel Smith's dull, listless, uninvolved direction. Yet another problem lies with a far too talkative screenplay that often gives the impression of a filmed stage play. Sad to say, photography and other credits are equally uninspired. Production values rate no more than average for a "B" feature. Perhaps slightly less.

With boring actors and a dull script, this movie doesn't even pass the basic test of credibility. We are asked to believe that a con man has made a lot of money over a great many years with a scheme that looks very unlikely to bring in any money at all. (And if it did, surely gossip in the hotel trade or newspaper reports would soon put an end to it.) The film is full of details that accentuate the sloppiness of the idea. The crook at one point has a handful of false passports. He could not possibly afford these with the money he makes. At another point, the crook and his henchman meet another crook and take him into their scheme, even though he is very poor at what he does AND it would mean less money for each of them AND they don't need another man to pull the scheme off! He is only around so we can (presumably) be amused by his (presumably) funny face and accent. Though this film tries to belong to the genteel- but-naughty tradition of English comedy, it is neither, just clumsy and prissy.

This is a hidden gem, as someone else commented, and deserves watching. It's a spry comedy about a father and daughter (RONALD SQUIRE and PEGGY CUMMINS) who bilk hotel people out of money with a simple swindle that works every time--with Squire posing as the husband who deserts his wife.Along comes an honest man (TERENCE MORGAN) who knows nothing about Cummins' background before he falls in love with her. Even when she tells him she's not really the girl he should be chasing, he won't be dissuaded. The plot goes on to include an overly amorous hotel manager, a double cross that's repeated several times and finally, a double double cross that one suspects is coming all along involving a wealthy man who keeps a closet full of currency.It's highly amusing without resorting to the sort of over-the-top British humor that was more fashionable during the '60s. Here the approach is more subtle and manages to be just as entertaining, due to some charming performances from the cast.Summing up: Nice to see Cummins having a good time in a comedy and looking so beautiful. Terence Morgan does equally well as the light comedy romantic lead. RONALD SQUIRE is amusing in a role vastly different from the kind he usually played in films like MY COUSIN RACHEL, where he assumed a more serious and sober side of his nature.

Film does not get big reviews in most film books, but that doesn't mean it's not a good movie. The movie is a fun romantic comedy. Taxman (Morgan) goes on holidays only to fall into the middle of a bunch of conmen (and woman), who he falls in love with. Cast, camera and director all became workers for ITC television shows of the 50's. Should you see the movie for sale- buy it! If it shows up on the late-show, tape it!