SALLY IN OUR ALLEY [1931 / 2020] [Blu-ray] [UK Release]
War Parted Them . . . But Love Found A Way!
Beloved by the British public for her string of hit pre-war films, Gracie Fields’ Lancastrian earthiness, impish humour and memorable songs have endeared her to many generations of fans. Gracie Fields screen debut, ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ sees Gracie Fields as a good-natured coffee shop worker in this bittersweet wartime romance. It is featured here as a brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio.
It's been over ten years since Sally Winch [Gracie Fields] believed her boyfriend George Miles [Ian Hunter] had been killed in the trenches during the Great War. But George Miles had only been badly wounded and, now recovered, goes in search of his true love.
FILM FACT: Shooting for the film started on the 23rd March, 1931 at Beaconsfield Studios by Associated Talking Pictures, who relocated to Ealing Studios the following year. Shooting lasted six weeks, concluding in early May. It marked the screen debut of Gracie Fields who was an established music hall star. Gracie Fields’ husband, the screenwriter Archie Pitt was originally set to play the role of Alf Cope. However, after less than a week of filming, as Gracie Fields and Archie Pitt were travelling back from shooting, their car crashed. Though Gracie Fields escaped injury, Archie Pitt was forced to withdraw from the cast in order to recuperate. Due to his experience and availability, the role was quickly recast with Fred Groves. The film incorporated Gracie Fields’ hugely popular signature song, Sally Winch, itself a reference to Henry Carey's 1725 song “Sally in Our Alley,” which had long been a traditional English country dance. It included the first use of the Dunning Process in Britain. The film took £100,000 at the box office, establishing Gracie Fields as a national film star. The film's sets were designed by the art director Norman G. Arnold.
Cast: Gracie Fields, Ian Hunter, Florence Desmond, Ivor Barnard, Fred Groves, Gibb McLaughlin, Ben Field, Barbara Gott, Renée Macready, Helen Ferrers, Florence Harwood, Elizabeth Arnold (uncredited), Esme V. Chaplin (uncredited), Robert Coote (uncredited), Arthur Hambling (uncredited), Miles Malleson (uncredited), Leslie Mitchell (uncredited), Brian Oulton (uncredited), Patricia Russell (uncredited) and Ian Wilson (uncredited)
Director: Maurice Elvey
Producer: Basil Dean
Screenplay: Charles McEvoy (play), Alma Reville (screenplay), Miles Malleson (screenplay) and Archie Pitt (additional) scenes)
Composer: Ernest Irving (uncredited)
Cinematography: Alex Bryce (Director of Photography) and Robert G. Martin (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 74 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Associated Radio Pictures / Network
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ [1931] We first meet Sally Winch [Gracie Fields] and George Miles [Ian Hunter] who are travelling in the country, then we see him going to the war. Wounded and likely to be crippled, he persuades a friend to make her believe that he's been killed, and in this oblivious state she exists for ten years, entertaining the community in singalongs in the local hostelries, and befriending star-struck Florrie Small [Florence Desmond], who wants to be in the movies.
When George Miles comes back on the scene Sally Winch's life is thrown off-kilter, and what wisps of plot there are go from here. Quite what a Lancashire lass like Gracie Fields is doing in what passes for London is a mystery, but this film makes some pointed social comments and ultimately showcases one of Britain's best loved music hall performers; she's a bit brash and loud for a female lead, but Gracie Fields effortless dominates her scenes in what was a film debut.
Compare the scenes where Sally Winch's friends join is a raucous sing-song with her and where a group of toffs struggle to join in with the “low” entertainment they have booked for a lark and the Eliza Dolittle-like transformation scene just before is amusing, when Sally Winch finds with horror she has a dress which shows cleavage and back! The first is open, relaxed, and friendly; the second starchy, awkward, and unnatural.
Florence Desmond's character Florrie Small is an odd one, slightly mousy and slightly silly who is abused at home and rather unnaturally attached to Sally Winch and you could read their relationship as butch-femme on a quick glance, and in one scene, she smashes up the place in which Sally Winch has invited her to shelter because she's “dared her” to do it to get her bad feelings out. This actress Gracie Fields would go on to be a proficient radio mimic, but she's a questionable actor, to be fair.
Overall, ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ is a really solid film. It has obviously aged but still works well and is still highly watchable. Gracie Fields is effortlessly charming and I found myself very invested in the story. The direction as well as the editing could have been stronger but it still works well enough to tell the story. While ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ is dated, it is still a decent enough film. I just advise that you get accustomed to the accents and the music of the time before you assess this film. Still, worth checking out.
SALLY IN OUR ALLEY MUSIC TRACK LIST
SALLY (uncredited) [Music and Lyrics by Will E. Haines, Harry Leon and Leo Towers] [Performed by Gracie Fields]
FALL IN AND FOLLOW THE BAND (uncredited) [Music and Lyrics by Will E. Haines, Harry Leon and Leo Towers] [Performed by Gracie Fields]
FRED FANNAKAPAN (uncredited) [Performed by Gracie Fields]
LANCASHIRE BLUES (uncredited) [Written by Gracie Fields] [Performed by Gracie Fields]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Associated Radio Pictures and Network presents us the film ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ with an all-new remastered from a 35mm fine grain master to give a nice 1080p black-and-white image and of course is shown in the standard 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Although the image only gives basic restoration, the image still displays some minor faults, including dirt, scratches, density fluctuations and film movement, amongst other issues. Despite this, it is still an enjoyable watch. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Associated Radio Pictures and Network brings us the film ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ with a 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio experience. Of course this film is a dialogue driven for this 1931 film and that means the audio is more than adequate for a film of this calibre, and has no real problems to report. On top of all that, the audio has been mastered from a 35mm optical soundtrack, so all the sound is focused via the speakers. It serves the film well and I found myself totally immersed in this film, which may very well have more to do with the great characters and again the razor sharp screenplay. So once again, well done Network for your sterling work.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Image Gallery: With this featurette, we get to view 16 wonderful 1080p black-and-white images for the Gracie Fields motion picture ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY.’
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailers [1937] [480i] [1.37:1] [4:42] With this featurette, they have the pleasure in announcing our future programme all next week and we get to view two cinema presentation theatrical trailers and they include a George Formby film entitled ‘Get Fit’ and a Stanley Lupino film entitled ‘You Made Me Love You.’
Finally, ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ [1931] marked the film debut of the popular British music hall star and entertainer Gracie Fields. Fields was a hugely popular star on stage so a step into cinema was the logical step forward in her career. Upon its release, ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ was a massive box office success, made Gracie Fields was top box office draw and confirmed her status as a national treasure. It is clear that ‘SALLY IN OUR ALLEY’ comes from the early days of British cinema but I still had a good time watching it. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
