Canaries Sometimes Sing
Encyclopedia
Canaries Sometimes Sing is a 1930
British romantic comedy film, directed by Tom Walls
. The film is a four-hander, starring Walls, Cathleen Nesbitt
, Athole Stewart
and Yvonne Arnaud
. It is a screen version of the witty and sophisticated comedy of manners
play by Frederick Lonsdale
, which had been a big critical and popular success when premiered at London's Globe Theatre
in 1929, with Stewart and Arnaud cast in the roles which they would recreate in the film. A surviving review of the film notes favourably: "Glittering, superficial, but very skilful...superbly played."
of his wife Anne (Nesbitt). He despairs of her ridiculous affectations, social-climbing aspirations and constant embarrassing attempts in company to show herself as an elegant, cultured sophisticate. He feels trapped in a relationship where, as he observes, a wife "does nothing to entitle her husband to divorce her, but a thousand things that entitle him to murder her".
Geoffrey's old college friend Ernest Melton (Stewart) and his French wife Elma (Arnaud) arrive at the Lymes' country home for a weekend visit. Ernest is an archetypal upper-class twit, wealthy but not overly bright, and completely cowed and dominated by the self-assured and outspoken Elma. He too finds married life less than satisfactory.
Anne immediately goes into full desperate-to-impress mode and, to Geoffrey's amusement, Ernest seems completely charmed and captivated by her ludicrous airs and pretentions, while Anne is thrilled to have found an appreciative audience. Geoffrey meanwhile is strongly attracted to the feisty Elma, and his interest is apparently reciprocated. As the pair discuss their respective spouses with withering scorn, they realise that all four are married to the wrong person. They hatch a plan to throw Anne and Ernest together as much as possible in the hope that they will compromise themselves.
Matters reach a head when it appears that Ernest and Anne are about to run away together. Geoffrey sees this as the perfect opportunity to achieve his aims without any blame attaching to himself or Elma. He confronts Ernest in feigned outrage, expressing his shock and disgust at his friend's conduct, while slyly stressing that if Ernest and Anne wish to be together, he can do nothing to prevent it and will give Anne a divorce. To Geoffrey's astonishment, the confused Ernest says that while he finds Anne pleasant and amusing, he does not love her and there has never been any question of the two eloping. The tables are turned, as Geoffrey is forced to admit to Ernest that he and Elma are in love.
1930 in film
-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
British romantic comedy film, directed by Tom Walls
Tom Walls
Tom Kirby Walls was a popular English stage and motion-pictures character actor, and film director. He has claim to be one of the most influential figures in British comedy.-Early career:...
. The film is a four-hander, starring Walls, Cathleen Nesbitt
Cathleen Nesbitt
Cathleen Mary Nesbitt, CBE was an English stage and film actress.-Biography:Born in Cheshire, England in 1888, of Welsh and Irish descent, Nesbitt was educated in Lisieux, France, and at the Queen's University of Belfast and the Sorbonne...
, Athole Stewart
Athole Stewart
-Selected filmography:Athole appeared in the following films:* Canaries Sometimes Sing * The Speckled Band * The Faithful Heart * The Constant Nymph *Loyalties * The Four Masked Men...
and Yvonne Arnaud
Yvonne Arnaud
Yvonne Arnaud was a French-born pianist, singer and actress.Germaine Yvonne Arnaud was born in 1892. She entered the Paris Conservatoire at age 9, studying piano under Alphonse Duvernoy and other teachers...
. It is a screen version of the witty and sophisticated comedy of manners
Comedy of manners
The comedy of manners is a genre of play/television/film which satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young...
play by Frederick Lonsdale
Frederick Lonsdale
Frederick Lonsdale was an English dramatist.-Personal life:Lonsdale was born Lionel Frederick Leonard in St Helier, Jersey, the son of Susan and John Henry Leonard, a tobacconist. He began as a private soldier and worked for the London and South Western Railway...
, which had been a big critical and popular success when premiered at London's Globe Theatre
Gielgud Theatre
The Gielgud Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, London, at the corner of Rupert Street. The house currently has 889 seats on three levels.-History:...
in 1929, with Stewart and Arnaud cast in the roles which they would recreate in the film. A surviving review of the film notes favourably: "Glittering, superficial, but very skilful...superbly played."
Plot
Over the course of their marriage, Geoffrey Lymes (Walls) has become increasingly exasperated by the shallowness and superficialitySuperficiality
'The principle of superficiality versus depth' has pervaded Western culture since at least the time of Plato: 'the dialectic of truth and appearance,' as the surface image of the latter 'competes with what Plato designates for us beyond appearance as being the Idea'.21stC urban parlance speaks of...
of his wife Anne (Nesbitt). He despairs of her ridiculous affectations, social-climbing aspirations and constant embarrassing attempts in company to show herself as an elegant, cultured sophisticate. He feels trapped in a relationship where, as he observes, a wife "does nothing to entitle her husband to divorce her, but a thousand things that entitle him to murder her".
Geoffrey's old college friend Ernest Melton (Stewart) and his French wife Elma (Arnaud) arrive at the Lymes' country home for a weekend visit. Ernest is an archetypal upper-class twit, wealthy but not overly bright, and completely cowed and dominated by the self-assured and outspoken Elma. He too finds married life less than satisfactory.
Anne immediately goes into full desperate-to-impress mode and, to Geoffrey's amusement, Ernest seems completely charmed and captivated by her ludicrous airs and pretentions, while Anne is thrilled to have found an appreciative audience. Geoffrey meanwhile is strongly attracted to the feisty Elma, and his interest is apparently reciprocated. As the pair discuss their respective spouses with withering scorn, they realise that all four are married to the wrong person. They hatch a plan to throw Anne and Ernest together as much as possible in the hope that they will compromise themselves.
Matters reach a head when it appears that Ernest and Anne are about to run away together. Geoffrey sees this as the perfect opportunity to achieve his aims without any blame attaching to himself or Elma. He confronts Ernest in feigned outrage, expressing his shock and disgust at his friend's conduct, while slyly stressing that if Ernest and Anne wish to be together, he can do nothing to prevent it and will give Anne a divorce. To Geoffrey's astonishment, the confused Ernest says that while he finds Anne pleasant and amusing, he does not love her and there has never been any question of the two eloping. The tables are turned, as Geoffrey is forced to admit to Ernest that he and Elma are in love.
Cast
- Tom WallsTom WallsTom Kirby Walls was a popular English stage and motion-pictures character actor, and film director. He has claim to be one of the most influential figures in British comedy.-Early career:...
as Geoffrey Lymes - Cathleen NesbittCathleen NesbittCathleen Mary Nesbitt, CBE was an English stage and film actress.-Biography:Born in Cheshire, England in 1888, of Welsh and Irish descent, Nesbitt was educated in Lisieux, France, and at the Queen's University of Belfast and the Sorbonne...
as Anne Lymes - Athole StewartAthole Stewart-Selected filmography:Athole appeared in the following films:* Canaries Sometimes Sing * The Speckled Band * The Faithful Heart * The Constant Nymph *Loyalties * The Four Masked Men...
as Ernest Melton - Yvonne ArnaudYvonne ArnaudYvonne Arnaud was a French-born pianist, singer and actress.Germaine Yvonne Arnaud was born in 1892. She entered the Paris Conservatoire at age 9, studying piano under Alphonse Duvernoy and other teachers...
as Elma Melton
External links
- Canaries Sometimes Sing at BFI Film & TV Database