The Films of Petula Clark

Easy Money

Released January 1948 [UK] Comedy/Crime/Drama - 94 minutes SYNOPSIS: This Gainsborough picture presents a quartet of separate stories about people who win a fortune on the football pools. The four stories involve vastly differing characters and show the hilarious events that can occur when people are suddenly thrust into wealth. Petula stars in Episode One, which features the calamaties that befall a suburban family who believe they have won the pool, only to discover that the winning coupon hadn't been posted.

CAST: (Episode 1) Philip Stafford.......... Ruth Stafford ............... Carol Stafford............ Dennis Stafford............ Jackie Stafford............... Grandma...................... Martin Latham............... Det.-Inspector Kirby............. Jack Warner Marjorie Fielding Yvonne Owen Jack Watling Petula Clark Mabel Constanduros David Tomlinson Maurice Denham
FILM NOTES: Directed by Bernard Knowles Written by Muriel Box & Sydney Box Based on the play by Arnold Ridley

A BRILLIANT CAST OF BRITAIN'S UP AND COMING YOUNG STARS will win high praise in a film that has everything--Comedy, Drama, Pathos--and a first-rate topical up-to-the-minute story

PETULA CLARK Born at Ewell, Surrey, she broadcast early in the war and so impressed BBC listeners that she was given more broadcasts and was subsequently in great demand for charity shows. Became a great favourite with American troops at Rainbow Corner and has made many films including "A Medal for the General," "Strawberry Roan," "Trouble at Townshend," (sic) "I Know Where I'm Going,""Murder in Reverse," and "London Town." Last two pictures include "Easy Money" and "Vice Versa." She has been signed by Sydney Box to play the young daughter in his new family series. Noted chiefly for her mature signing, she broadcasts each week in the Michael Howard--Monte Rey programme.

REVIEWS: Easy Money is a satire of that most venerated of all middle-class British traditions, the football pool. The film is divided into four separate episodes, illustrating the effects of the football pool on the "average chap." Among those who participate in the pool in hopes of winning the 50,000-pound jackpot are the Stafford family: husband Phillip (Jack Warner), wife Ruth (Marjorie Fielding), son Dennis (Jack Watling), and daughter Jackie (Petula Clark). Other interested parties are the Atkins clan -- Herbert (Mervyn Johns) and Agnes (Joan Young) -- and lovers Pat (Greta Gynt) and Joe (Dennis Price). Among the huge cast of supporting players, Edward Rigby stands out as the hapless Teddy Ball. Critics of the time noted that Easy Money was faintly reminiscent of the all-star 1932 Hollywood film If I Had a Million. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide Portmanteau comedy about people who win or try to win the pools. A nice cast of forties stalwarts (Petula Clark, Dennis Price, Maurice Denham, Mabel Constanduros and many others) tries to breathe life into Muriel and Sidney Box' script but as usual with these movies it's all very variable. The only real interest is in the documentary sequences showing a pools operation. Also Greta Gynt does a number (Lady Spiv by Vivian Ellis) as a blatant rip-off of Rita Hayworth doing Put the Blame on Mame, and shows us how thin the line between greatness and naffness is. David Absalom britishpictures.com When the film opened, I was genuinely intrigued with the story of a suburban family headed by Jack Warner, rather down on his luck, who believes they have won a big football pool. Later they discover the younger daughter (our Pet) had forgotten to post the coupon. Later still it turns out that it is the letter of the week before she had forgotten to post. Whilst all this excitement is afoot, all sorts of domestic upheavals occur. Delightfully human and well presented. And that's the end of that--unfortunately--because this picture has four episodes all dealing with the business of football pools. I must say I found this disconcerting. . . Generally the acting is on a high level. Pleasant entertainment, but too disjointed. Picturegoer - January 1948