Top of the Form (film)

Top of the Form
Original British quad poster
Directed by	John Paddy Carstairs
Written by	John Paddy Carstairs Patrick Kirwan Ted Willis Sid Colin
Story by	Anthony Kimmins Val Guest Leslie Arliss Marriott Edgar
Produced by	Paul Soskin
Starring	Ronald Shiner
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Edited by	Alfred Roome
Music by	Ronald Hanmer
Production companies	Paul Soskin Productions British Film-Makers
Distributed by	General Film Distributors
Release date	9 March 1953 (1953-03-09)
Running time	72 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	£143,000 (UK)

Top of the Form (also known as Fair's Fair) is a 1953 British black-and-white comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ronald Shiner, Anthony Newley and Harry Fowler. The film draws inspiration from Will Hay's 1937 classic Good Morning, Boys.

Plot summary

This story explores a bookmaker Ronnie Fortescue, who becomes headmaster of a boys' school, and of his and his pupil's adventures in passing examinations and on a subsequent free trip to Paris. Once in Paris, headmaster and pupils become embroiled in gambling casinos, and in a plot to steal the French Crown Jewels.

Cast

• Ronald Shiner as Professor Ronnie Fortescue
• Anthony Newley as Percy
• Harry Fowler as Albert
• Jacqueline Pierreux as Yvette
• Alfie Bass as Arty Jones
• Mary Jerrold as Mrs. Bagshot
• Richard Wattis as Willoughby Gore
• Howard Marion-Crawford as Dickson
• Roland Curram as Terence
• Terence Mitchell as Clarence
• Gerald Campion as Pugley
• Oscar Quitak as Septimus
• Kynaston Reeves as the Dean
• Martin Benson as Cliquet
• Graham Stark as Wilson
• Hal Osmond as Barber
• Danny Green as bookies' thug
• Melvyn Hayes as schoolboy with glasses
• Ronnie Corbett as student (uncredited)
• Ronan O'Casey as brother
• Naomi Chance as Northern woman on station
• Andreas Malandrinos as museum concierge

Production

It was made at Pinewood Studios near London with sets designed by the art director Maurice Carter. The film earned billings of £143,000.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Good Morning, Boys was possibly crude and to some distasteful, and its success depended on Will Hay. Ronald Shiner, though a popular comedian whose presence will no doubt ensure the film's box-office success, is far from being another Will Hay, and the film consequently remains crude and distasteful. The comedy, poorly scripted, is slow and unfunny, and depends mainly on slapstick and slap and tickle."

The Radio Times called it a "misfiring Ronald Shiner vehicle... Less amusing than [Will] Hay's St Michael's outings and less anarchic than the St Trinian's romps, this efficient but underwhelming caper is all too typical of its director, John Paddy Carstairs".

TV Guide hailed "An entertaining comedy."

External links

• Top of the Form at AllMovie
• Top of the Form at the British Film Institute
• Top of the Form at IMDb