Salute John Citizen is a 1942 black and white British drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Edward Rigby, Mabel Constanduros and Jimmy Hanley.[2] The Bunting family face up to the fortunes of war during the Second World War.[3]
| Salute John Citizen | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Maurice Elvey |
| Written by | Elizabeth Baron (scenario) Clemence Dane (uncredited) Robert Greenwood (dialogue) |
| Based on | the novels Mr. Bunting and Mr. Bunting at War by Robert Greenwood [1] |
| Produced by | Wallace Orton |
| Starring | Edward Rigby Stanley Holloway George Robey Mabel Constanduros Jimmy Hanley |
| Cinematography | James Wilson |
| Edited by | Jack Harris |
| Music by | Kennedy Russell |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Anglo-American Film Corporation (UK) |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThe life of an ordinary family during the London Blitz. In the summer before that explosive September, elderly clerk Mr. Bunting (Edward Rigby) loses his job at the department store where he's worked for over 40 years. George Bunting is the head of a happy home, with wife Mary (Mabel Constanduros), daughter Julie (Peggy Cummins), and two sons, Chris (Eric Micklewood) and Ernest (Jimmy Hanley). When the Blitz hits London, we observe its effect on the family, and how they cope with the crisis. Mr. Bunting is rehired in his former job due to the shortage of manpower, though little else in his life is positive. Daughter Julie goes to work in a factory. The London blitz destroys everything in sight, and one of his sons, Chris, is killed. In the wake of this destruction, his other son, Ernest is converted from pacifism to the war effort.
Cast
edit- Edward Rigby as Mr. Bunting
- Mabel Constanduros as Mrs. Bunting
- Jimmy Hanley as Ernest Bunting
- Eric Micklewood as Chris Bunting
- Peggy Cummins as Julie Bunting
- Dinah Sheridan as Evie
- Charles Deane as Bert Rollo
- Stanley Holloway as Oskey
- George Robey as Corder
- David Keir as Turner
Reception
editAllmovie described the film as " a simple, low-pressure study of the wartime "home front."...in its own quiet, unassuming war, Salute John Citizen paints a truer portrait of a proud populace besieged by war than the more celebrated Mrs. Miniver ";[4] and TV Guide noted "a nice little film--a simple telling of a modest family's attempts to cope with ongoing conflict"[5] while in his book Typical Men: The Representation of Masculinity in Popular British Cinema, Andrew Spicer concluded that the films "popularity was limited by its obviously frugal budget, and uncharismatic central star."[6]
References
edit- ^ Goble, Alan (8 September 2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. ISBN 9783110951943.
- ^ "Salute John Citizen (1942)". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009.
- ^ Rowan, Terry (2012). WOrld War II Goes to the Movies & Television Guide. ISBN 9781105586026.
- ^ Hal Erickson. "Salute John Citizen (1942) - Maurice Elvey - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ "Salute John Citizen". TVGuide.com.
- ^ Spicer, Andrew (25 July 2003). Typical Men. ISBN 9781860649318.