Edmond Gwenn (Mr Radfern) lives an unassuming life in a quiet part of London - Laburnum Grove - with his wife Katie Johnson (Mrs Radfern) and his daughter Victoria Hopper ((Elsie) who longs to get away from the monotony of her surroundings. Also resident with them is Gwenn's cunning sister Ethel Coleridge (Mrs Baxley) and her no-good husband Cedric Hardwicke (Mr Baxley) who are both after Gwenn's money at every opportune moment. Daughter Victoria has a boyfriend in Francis James (Harold) who wants to propose and ask for a loan at the same time. Gwenn has a plan to rid him and his family of these scrounging hanger-ons - he tells them he is a criminal dealing in forged currency. But is he really...?
Gwenn is good and carries the film. After a slow and irritating start as we follow Hardwicke's bumbling cartoon-like oafish character - nobody in life is like that - with his comedy mannerisms that aren't funny, the film takes a turn when everyone sits down to dinner and Gwenn announces he is a criminal. Ha ha. Nobody can believe it but he doesn't let go. We get a story of intrigue from then on as a detective turns up on the scene to ask some questions about a 'commercial' crime. Could it be innocent?
Gwenn has that harmless old man disposition that works well in this film and Katie Johnson has that thing about her where you are not quite sure whether she is unaware of everything or a master criminal herself. The film loses points for the twee wallflower that is Victoria Hopper and the incredibly annoying buffoonery of Cedric Hardwicke.
At one point in the film, Ethel Coleridge tells Hardwicke to "go and wash your face" before mealtime and I heard my wife laughing at this. I just know that this line will be repeated at me at some point soon. Not because I have a dirty face but because I heard her laugh and that means something is being retained in the memory bank. Ha ha.
Gwenn is good and carries the film. After a slow and irritating start as we follow Hardwicke's bumbling cartoon-like oafish character - nobody in life is like that - with his comedy mannerisms that aren't funny, the film takes a turn when everyone sits down to dinner and Gwenn announces he is a criminal. Ha ha. Nobody can believe it but he doesn't let go. We get a story of intrigue from then on as a detective turns up on the scene to ask some questions about a 'commercial' crime. Could it be innocent?
Gwenn has that harmless old man disposition that works well in this film and Katie Johnson has that thing about her where you are not quite sure whether she is unaware of everything or a master criminal herself. The film loses points for the twee wallflower that is Victoria Hopper and the incredibly annoying buffoonery of Cedric Hardwicke.
At one point in the film, Ethel Coleridge tells Hardwicke to "go and wash your face" before mealtime and I heard my wife laughing at this. I just know that this line will be repeated at me at some point soon. Not because I have a dirty face but because I heard her laugh and that means something is being retained in the memory bank. Ha ha.