Mr. Chedworth Steps Out (1939)

Curiosità

Mr. Chedworth Steps Out is a 1939 Australian comedy film directed by Ken G. Hall starring Cecil Kellaway. Kellaway returned to Australia from Hollywood to make the film, which features an early screen appearance by Peter Finch.

Production

The script was based on the English novel, Mr Chedworth Hits Out (1936) by F Morton Howard. Filmink noted "It wasn’t a well-known book, and Howard wasn’t that famous an author, and thus the title had little pre-sold-IP factor. However, the novel did offer a splendid role for Kellaway." The script was adapted by Cinesound's regular writer Frank Harvey; it has been called "a patchwork quilt... full of contrivances and repetition."

The movie was intended as the first of a projected £200,000 five-film program by Cinesound Productions, the others being Gone to the Dogs (1939), Robbery Under Arms, The Further Adventures of Dad and Dave (which became Dad Rudd, MP 1940), and The Haunted House. Robbery Under Arms and The Haunted House were never made.

The film was specifically designed as a vehicle for Cecil Kellaway. He had been working in Hollywood following the success of It Isn't Done (1937) but agreed to come back to Australia especially to make the film at the request of Ken G. Hall. "He was getting much more money than we had offered him but he felt that he owed us something", said Hall.

Kellaway was under contract to RKO so Cinesound had to get their permission to borrow him for the film. It was thought this was the first time the Hollywood studios had done that for one of their actors to appear in an Australian film. He was borrowed for four months.

Kellaway later said he was attracted to the lead role:

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