Sally in Our Alley
Encyclopedia
Sally in Our Alley is a British romantic comedy drama film made at Ealing Studios
. It was directed by Maurice Elvey
and starred Gracie Fields
, Ian Hunter
, and Florence Desmond
.
The film incorporated Gracie Fields' hugely popular signature song, Sally, itself an reference to Henry Carey
's 1725 song, Sally in Our Alley, which had long been a traditional English country dance
. The film took £100,000 at the box office establishing Fields as a national film star.
(1932), Love, Life and Laughter
(1934), Sing As We Go
(1934), Look Up and Laugh
(1935), Queen of Hearts (1936) and The Show Goes On
(1937), these are on 4 discs. Two films each on three of the discs with the other film on disc four.
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
. It was directed by Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey was the most prolific film director in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year....
and starred Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
, Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter (actor)
Ian Hunter was a British character actor.Among dozens of film roles, his best-remembered appearances include That Certain Woman with Bette Davis, The Adventures of Robin Hood , The Little Princess and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
, and Florence Desmond
Florence Desmond
Florence Desmond was the stage name of Florence Dawson, an English actress, comedienne and impersonator....
.
The film incorporated Gracie Fields' hugely popular signature song, Sally, itself an reference to Henry Carey
Henry Carey (writer)
Henry Carey was an English poet, dramatist and song-writer. He is remembered as an anti-Walpolean satirist and also as a patriot. Several of his melodies continue to be sung today, and he was widely praised in the generation after his death...
's 1725 song, Sally in Our Alley, which had long been a traditional English country dance
English Country Dance
English Country Dance is a form of folk dance. It is a social dance form, which has earliest documented instances in the late 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I of England is noted to have been entertained by "Country Dancing," although the relationship of the dances she saw to the surviving dances of...
. The film took £100,000 at the box office establishing Fields as a national film star.
Plot summary
A British soldier (Ian Hunter) goes off to fight in World War I, with his girlfriend (Gracie Fields) waiting and worried at home. He is soon wounded in battle and crippled. He comes to the conclusion that she would be better off believing that he has been killed so she can get on with her life. She gets the news and is devastated. Several years later she is still grieving for him, but he has now been cured and goes looking for her.Cast
- Gracie FieldsGracie FieldsDame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
... Sally Winch - Ian HunterIan Hunter (actor)Ian Hunter was a British character actor.Among dozens of film roles, his best-remembered appearances include That Certain Woman with Bette Davis, The Adventures of Robin Hood , The Little Princess and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
... George Miles - Florence DesmondFlorence DesmondFlorence Desmond was the stage name of Florence Dawson, an English actress, comedienne and impersonator....
... Florrie Small - Gibb McLaughlinGibb McLaughlinGibb McLaughlin was an English film actor. He appeared in 118 films between 1921 and 1959. He was born in Sunderland, England and died in London, England.-Selected filmography:* The Road to London...
... Jim Sears - Ben FieldBen Field-Selected filmography:* Venetian Lovers * A South Sea Bubble * Caste * Sally in Our Alley * Jack's the Boy * Loyalties * Mrs. Dane's Defence * Say It with Flowers...
... Sam Bilson
DVD release
This film is currently available as part of the Gracie Fields collector's edition which in addition to this film includes the films Looking on the Bright SideLooking on the Bright Side
Looking on The Bright Side is a British comedy musical film made at Ealing Studios. It was directed by Graham Cutts and Basil Dean and starring Gracie Fields, Richard Dolman, and Betty Shale.-Plot summary:...
(1932), Love, Life and Laughter
Love, Life and Laughter
Love, Life and Laughter is a 1923 British film, written and directed by George Pearson. As of August 2010, the film is missing from the BFI National Archive, and is listed as one of the British Film Institute's "75 Most Wanted" lost films.-Plot:...
(1934), Sing As We Go
Sing as We Go
Sing As We Go is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley; it was directed by Basil Dean....
(1934), Look Up and Laugh
Look Up and Laugh
Look Up and Laugh is a British comedy film directed by Basil Dean and starring Gracie Fields, Alfred Drayton, Douglas Wakefield and Vivien Leigh...
(1935), Queen of Hearts (1936) and The Show Goes On
The Show Goes On
The Show Goes On is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by Basil Dean and starring Gracie Fields, Owen Nares and John Stuart.-Plot summary:...
(1937), these are on 4 discs. Two films each on three of the discs with the other film on disc four.