Review for The Gang's All Here

Another in Network’s relentless release schedule of little seen British cinema from the 1930’s onwards, ‘The Gang’s All Here’ is a relatively slight addition probably only of interest to movie historian’s or those with dim memories of having enjoyed it on release.

It’s a 1939 British, black-and-white  comedy-drama directed by Thornton Freeland and starring the hugely popular Scottish entertainer, Jack Buchanan. In fact, the film is pretty much a vehicle for Buchanan with just about everyone else in minor supporting roles (with the exception perhaps of Googie Withers who lays his sardonic wife and sparring partner in the movie).


It was produced by Associated British Picture Corporation in 1939 but during the war years at least two other arguably more popular movies were released with pretty much the same title. So when it was re-released in 1943, the title was changed to ‘The Amazing Mr. Forrest’ which seems far more apt.


The film is pretty much a sequel to an earlier movie called ‘Smash and Grab’ though it’s not necessary to have seen that to watch this.


John Forrest is anticipating a quiet retirement in the country (ironically ‘Middlesex’, not necessarily associated with the rural life today!). He’s decided to give up the stresses and dangers of his job as a top notch insurance detective and take time out to enjoy an idyllic life in his new ‘little’ house (a veritable mansion of course) with his lovely wife of seven years (though his wife protests that it’s been eight years – a running gag which gets a little tiresome). He intends to write detective novels based on his many adventures.


However, it’s not long before that brief retirement is interrupted with news that a priceless collection of jewels Prince Homouska, has just vanished from the safekeeping of the Stamford Assurance Company.


Aided by his butler, his Cockney assistant and his (initially) unwilling wife, Forrest sets out on the trail of the thieves.
Though this involves a modicum of music hall japery, there are some genuinely sinister moments as he tries to impress the gang that he is a ruthless killer wanted by police in order to be invited into their fold.


The comedy certainly feels dated and some of the acting highly hammy by today’ standards. It’s also suffers from very stagey direction, not uncommon for the period where moving cameras and changing shot angles was not as simple as it is today.


Image quality soon settles down after a slightly speckled start and is surprisingly good throughout. Network claim to have used the best available print elements (in unison with Studio Canal) and I am unsure quite what this means though I suspect it involved looking at various available prints and transferring the best elements into one finished piece. I doubt much cost and effort has gone into minute restoration for so slight a movie.


Audio is fine, if predictably tinny and a little bit echoey on some wider shots – no post-dubbing used here.


A stills gallery (see samples below) is included - but no other extra features to speak of. 


Whilst it rattles along at a pace, and is reasonably good fun, I doubt it’s a film that would appear on anyone’s top 50 list. More the kind of thing you might happen upon on a rainy Sunday.
It’s great that Network are prepared to release such movies knowing that the market for them is probably quite small. It just means that those of us who like to see this stuff can. And that’s something we should be extremely grateful for.