The Great Game (1953 film) explained

The Great Game
Director:Maurice Elvey
Producer:David Dent
Based On:the play Shooting Star by Basil Thomas
Starring:James Hayter
Thora Hird
Diana Dors
John Laurie
Cinematography:Phil Grindrod
Music:W.L. Trytel
Editing:Lito Carruthers
Studio:Advance
Distributor:Adelphi Films
Released: (UK)
Runtime:80 minutes
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English

The Great Game is a 1953 British sports comedy-drama directed by Maurice Elvey and starring James Hayter, Thora Hird and Diana Dors. It was based on a play by Basil Thomas.[1] Many of the scenes were shot at Griffin Park the home of Brentford F.C.[2] Several professional football players made appearances in the film including Tommy Lawton.

Plot

The chairman of a relegation zone English football club makes an illegal approach to a rising star of a rival club. This is discovered by the football authorities and the chairman is ultimately suspended from the game following the ensuing scandal.[3]

Cast

Original play

The film was based on a play "Shooting Star" by Basil Thomas which premiered in 1949.[4] Thomas was a football fan who decided to write a play about the transfer system. He says managers and directors were keen to co operate. Among the people Thomas interviewed were Ted Vizard, Stan Cullis and Claude Jephcott.[5] [6]

1949 TV adaptation

The play was filmed for TV in 1949.[7]

Cast

Production

Film rights were bought by Adelphi who made a number of low budget comedies. They also made Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? with Dors.[8] [9]

Critical reception

Picture Show called it an "unpretentious but most enjoyable comedy."[10]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "the humour is stale".[11]

The Digital Fix found the film "largely insignificant and admittedly musters up little interest, but then it is offset with a gentle humour and plenty of broad comedy characterisation from its supporting cast; nobody could ogle Dors’ sexpot secretary quite like John Laurie does in the opening scene."[12]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Great Game (1953) - Maurice Elvey - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie. Hal Erickson. AllMovie.
  2. Web site: The Great Game (1953). malcolmgsw. 1 January 1953. IMDb.
  3. Web site: The Great Game (1952). https://web.archive.org/web/20090114083408/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/35250. dead. 2009-01-14. BFI.
  4. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/9bc9d632-9e63-450b-b8a2-b87b81362539 shooting Star
  5. Web site: On Why I Wrote "Shooting Star" in Program for "Shooting Star" from 1949. Basil. Thomas. Mercury Theatre. 5.
  6. News: A Sports Letter From London . . 9810 . New South Wales, Australia . 11 June 1949 . 11 July 2020 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  7. http://bufvc.ac.uk/screenplays/index.php/prog/1654 Shooting Star
  8. David Dent obituaryDent, Jonathan. The Guardian (Online), London (UK): Guardian News & Media Limited. May 6, 2020.
  9. Stephen. Vagg. Filmink. A Tale of Two Blondes: Diana Dors and Belinda Lee. September 7, 2020.
  10. THE GREAT GAME (directed by Maurice Elvey). AdelphiHughes, Maud. Picture Show; London Vol. 60, Iss. 1571, (May 9, 1953): 2.
  11. GREAT GAME, TheMonthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 20, Iss. 228, (Jan 1, 1953): 36.
  12. Web site: Film @ The Digital Fix - Miss Tulip Stays the Night / The Great Game. Film @ The Digital Fix.