"Opens with footage of a man, two women and a girl in a garden. Some footage shot through a gap in a wall and some closer up. They are seen playing with a dog. The film continues with footage of the Tower Circus elephants being bathed in the sea at Blackpool. A crowd watches as the elephant's keeper controls them whilst riding one. Members of the crowd pet the elephants before they are seen leaving the beach. This is followed by footage from Stanley Park in Blackpool. Two girls are seen walking through the park and relaxing by a bowling green. The film ends with footage of Stanley Park lake, thick with boats, shot from a moving boat." (NWFA Online Database)
"Amateur filmmaker, cinema historian and railway engineer H.A.V. Bulleid employs dry wit and sharp satire in this loose adaptation of the 'Saki' (aka Hector Hugo Munro) short story, 'Tobermory'. When Lord Bink - 'an extremely clever scientist' - creates a concoction which gives Clyde the Dog the gift of human speech, he gets a little more than he bargained for, as the dry wit and scathing tongue of Clyde wreaks havoc in the genteel world of Mrs Gatty's garden" (EAFA Database).
"Elmer (Elmer Quane) is a hapless fool and a hopeless romantic, who has his heart set on Enid (Rita Lyons). But with Enid in the clutches of Arthur (Arthur Richardson), Elmer must go to extreme lengths to win her love. Left embarrassed by an encounter at the train station, and frustrated by his bullying boss, Elmer sits beside a secluded footpath. But when Enid's bag is snatched by a pair of thieves, and Arthur stands idly by, it is up to Elmer to save the day, apprehending the men and retrieving the bag. But has he won Enid's heart? Only his clumsiness, her ultimatum and a series of chocolate thefts will tell us" (EAFA Database).
"[A comedy-drama] being told in practically all close-ups" (M.A.L.B 1931a: 8).
"[starring Miss Greta Van der Werff] ‘a lovely young amateur player, not yet twenty" (M.A.L.B 1931b: 2).
"In the [‘Interest’] class [at the Era Challenge Cup competition] was entered a picture of such outstanding merit that the judges were hard put to make their final decision. This was submitted by a lady, who had chosen as her subject the R.A.F. Pageant. Here, again, the fact that the photographer could not choose a position of vantage, but had to be content with a place among the crowd, had to be taken into account. But in spite of difficulties, this entry can only be described as a poem of movement and high speed. The photographic quality is exceptional. The sky, most cunning toned down with filters, proves a scintillating background, strongly reminiscent of the best German photography. For an amateur this picture is really a little gem, with so much to recommend it that it secured a special award, which the judges decided to offer themselves" (Hill 1931: 7).
"considering the obvious difficulty of getting anywhere near the subject to be photographed, is an amazing piece of work, as regards photography, choice of shots, continuity, cutting, and editing. It is no exaggeration to say that a professional could have done no better. The whole grim business of the fight is depicted in a vivid and realistic manner, and but for the fact that the Censor and general public are averse to witnessing spectacles of this type of picture, if enlarged to standard size, could be shown in the cinemas" (Hill 1931: 7).
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema