Keep Fit

82 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish

Keep Fit is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Guy Middleton. Formby was at his British top box-office peak when this comedy was made.^[1]

Synopsis

George Formby again plays his working class underdog, gormless, gullible, indefatigable and triumphant hero. A weakling, Formby's character overcomes obstacles to beat a corrupt rival in the boxing ring. He plays a scrawny barber's assistant who, in response to the keep fit fad sweeping through Britain at the time, dreams of a better physique, and sings of it in the catchy "Biceps, Muscle and Brawn". He falls in love with a beautiful manicurist, and competes for her affections with a muscle bound thug. The manicurist is more attracted to the brute until the barber can prove that he is a crook, and defeat him in the boxing ring.^[2][3]

Cast

• George Formby as George Green
• Kay Walsh as Joan Allen
• Guy Middleton as Hector Kent
• George Benson as Ernie Gill
• Gus McNaughton as "Echo" Publicity Manager
• Evelyn Roberts as Mr Barker
• Aubrey Mallalieu as Magistrate
• Edmund Breon as Sir Augustus Marks
• Hal Gordon as Reporter
• Hal Walters as Racing Tough
• C. Denier Warren as Editor
• Edgar Driver as Boat Hire Owner
• Leo Franklyn as Racing Tough
• Robert Nainby as Judge At The Gym
• Julian Vedey as Hairdressing Dept Head
• Jack Vyvian as Boat Hire Man
• D.J. Williams as Editor of The Gazette

Critical reception

According to Sky Movies "it's a bouncy, confidently made comedy that's fun throughout and pretty hilarious in its boxing-ring conclusion".^[4]

See also

• List of boxing films

References

Further reading

• Perry, George C. (1994). Forever Ealing: A Celebration of the Great British Film Studio (Revised ed.). London: Pavilion Books. OCLC 803151626.
• Wood, Linda (1986). British Films, 1927-1939 (PDF). London: Library Services, British Film Institute. ISBN 978-0-85170-189-9.
• Low, Rachel, ed. (1985). The History of British Film 1929-1939 (Volume 7): Film Making in 1930's Britain. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-0-04-791042-5.

External links

• Keep Fit at IMDb