Get Cracking (1943) User Reviews

Dad's Army prequel

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 2 September 2007]

I have to confess that I like every George Formby film – more or less. What this one lacks in plot it makes up with atmosphere, of a safe fairytale Britain that never existed but came closest to between the World Wars. Of pretending everyone was in the same boat fighting a common (and uncommon) enemy and encouragement with flag-wavers like this for everyone to do their bit. As we're finding nowadays, a House divided falls.

Here we see what happens when the lads of the village got cracking, with the formation of a Local Defence Volunteers force (the Home Guard, or Dad's Army as they came to be known and also a great UK TV series 1968-1977) to be ready for a Nazi invasion in the two small villages of Minor and Major Wallop, and the results of their rivalry to posses a Vickers gun. There's a cracking cast: George is just George naturally, girlfriend Dinah Sheridan, wise old Edward Rigby and Wally Patch as George's friendly superiors, avuncular Frank Pettingell and nasty Ronald Shiner as their rivals, Irene Handl always on the lookout for her elusive son Ben, and Vera Francis, still an evacuee but sadly underused here. Favorite bits: the Hellzappopin type opening minutes; the night raid on Pemberton's shop looking for the gun. Songs: Get Cracking (on march), Home Guard Blues (on the tank) and the witty Under The Blasted Oak (in George's Garage).

For me, it's a pleasant 90 minutes every time I watch it; of course people who don't like Formby at all but watch this anyway will have a real battle on their hands.

Our George Joins Another Branch of the Service

[boblipton · 6/10 · 31 October 2017]

George Formby joins the Home Guard and vows to defend Minor Wallop in Lancashire from the enemy -- Major Wallop in Lancashire. This quickly evolves into the usual mix of stage routines, musical interludes provided by George and some actual bits of plots that the director, Marcel Varnel, lets leak through to the audience when he isn't running comedy bits past them. It was his specialty, after all.

Anyone familiar with the 1960s British TV comedy "Dad's Army" will recognize what is going on here, and will be thoroughly pleased with the rough mixture of silliness and seriousness. Everyone takes what is going on very seriously, except for E.V.H.Emmett, who narrates the beginning of the movies in mock-solemn tones; the erratic nature of supplies for the home guard and presence of evacuees hints at the self-proclaimed tough-minded nature of the Lancashire lads and lassies that Our George represented.

Best of the Columbia films

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 12 December 2018]

Formby made 7 films for Columbia and this is probably the best of them.Possibly because the topic was so contemporary. This film rather confirms rivalry between platoons as shown in Dad's Army. George was coming to the end of his time as a film star.Ronnie Shiner,who has a supporting role here became a big star in the fifties,as to a lesser extent,Dinah Sheridan.

"It's nitwits like you that makes war dangerous"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 15 May 2023]

George Formby joins the Local Defence Volunteers (aka The Home Guard) and hi-jinks ensue involving a Vickers gun, conflict between two villages called Minor Wallop and Major Wallop (not real English places sadly) and the building of a home made battle tank. George also sings a few songs of course accompanying himself on the ukelele. I know Mr. Formby is not to all tastes but I enjoyed the film. It's all light hearted, produced in wartime to cheer up people. There are some excellent actors in support; Ronald Shiner as George's nasty rival Manley, Irene Handl hilarious as a sister always looking for her soldier brother, the great Edward Rigby and as the evacuee girl Irene there is a perky performance from Vera Frances. Good stuff.

Lively wartime comedy

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 16 July 2019]

GET CRACKING is a lively wartime comedy vehicle for ukelele-playing comedy star George Formby. How much you like it really depends on how much you like Formby himself; his high-pitched, loud voice can be more than a little overbearing, especially to a modern viewer, although there is something lovable about him. The story has George joining the home guard and getting involved in scrapes involving troops stationed in a rival village. Expect plenty of songs, minor plotting, and some well-judged supporting turns from the likes of Ronald Shiner, Irene Handl, Dinah Sheridan, Wally Patch and Edward Rigby.

Well Worth Watching

[iancrockford-96309 · 8/10 · 27 October 2018]

In this very atmospheric film. George is already in the Home Guard and we join the story when he is a dispatch rider. Starts film as a Lance Corporal but due to blondering is demoted. However George comes across as very intelligent and saves the day. Lots of set jokes. With an insight into the way the country thought in 1940's. Great support cast. I really enjoyed this film.

George Formby is at it again!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 6 October 2017]

Would you believe, many of the same problems that haunt George Formby's first offering for his new studio, are still on show in his next venture, "Get Cracking" (1943). In this one, George is not trying to get into the Air Force (It's in the Air, 1938) or the Police Force (Spare a Copper, 1940) but is already in the Home Defence Force. But of course, he is demoted and almost kicked out. But not due to blundering – due to the machinations of Ronald Shiner who, despite his lower position in the cast list, is actually playing the second lead.

So it seems that both Columbia and George himself are attempting to change his screen character from the amusing idiot who accidentally wins out in the end to a reasonably intelligent (in this particular movie, a super-intelligent – he even builds a tank out of scrap) Joe, who is hard done by and misunderstood, but finally sets everyone cheering.

In "Much Too Shy", George triumphs due to the efforts of the heroine. In this one, however, his victory is mostly of his own making.

So, although the movie certainly has its share of nostalgia, plus some amusing and even inventive moments (George talks back to the narrator – an idea borrowed from "Our Town"), it's at least two flights removed from "Spare a Copper".

A great support cast nonetheless puts the movie firmly into the must-see bracket. In addition to Ronald Shiner, I think Edward Rigby, Wally Patch and Frank Pettingell all deserve a mention. And Pauline Winter excels as a spy. (The DVD is a little below Sony's usual superlative standard, but still rates 9/10).

P.S. My stupid PC does not know how to spell "Formby"! Nor does it know that the Brits spell "defense" with a "c"!

A family friendly film with glimpse of wartime life

[mpsmike-90293 · 10/10 · 1 January 2023]

A glimpse of wartime life and the battles between villages to defend their platoons. George and Dina Sheridan worked well together, and the battle for a Vickers gun against Ronald Shiner was well played out with George on roller skates covered in 'flour' looking like ghost.. Classic film. Can't get enough of this one.

I happen to be biased, as I now own the Morris 8 tourer car that 'Everard' - (Ronald Shiner) owned at the the garage and had the Vickers gun in that he and George were arguing over, and also that wouldn't start when all the rotor arms were found under the bonnet.

Great film, and check out "The Demi Paradise" where my same car also had a small part in, with Miss Dudley-Ward & Lawrence Olivier.