Hey! Hey! USA - (UK, 1938)


Figure 1.--.

Roddy McDowall has a central part in the film. Roddy wore a long trousered suit. He played along side a British Commedian in this Gainsborough comedy film. Roddy plays a rich American kid and Will Hey was employed to be his history teacher. The U.S. gangsters plan to kidnap him and so do. Will Hey rescues him. Roddy plays a smartallic kid (Many child stars have had this role when sparing with adults). He had some great scenes with Will Hey. His tutor is suposed to be teaching him British History and says that the British have won all their conflicts. Roddy replies that we lost the War of Independence. To which Will Hey relies something along these lines. 'Yes, well I give you that but it we only sent the 'B' team there.' Not quite the quote but this is about the funnist moment. Roddy had a similar scene again when he was in the film "The Pied Piper". The film was an attempt to launch Will Hey on America. The film was not all that funny and certainly did not include Will Hey's best comedy sketches. These could have been reworked and have been in later comedy films but the gags have been done by different artists. Our British reader writes, "I think that it might have been a mistake for Gauemont British to have had Roddy McDowall in long trousers. I expect Roddy thought otherwise, but I think the film would have worked better if he had a more boyish appearance in short trousers. Will Hey rescues the lad and the sympathy factor would have worked better to a much younger looking Roddy MacDowall. Will Hey, the bumbling teacher would have appeared more couragous. Will Hey foils the kidnappers and more by luck than design rescues the boy. He leads him to safety by walking across a ledge high up on an apartment block. This scene is acted out against a background of the New York skyline - Empire State building etc.

Filmology


Cast

The two main characters are played by Roddy McDowll before he was afamous child star and British comedian Will Hey.

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall has a central part in the film. Roddy was a major child star in the early 1940s. His best known films were "How Green is My Valley" (1941) and "Lassie Come Home" (1943), two film classics. He dressed as an English boy in short pants for his roles, but also wore shorts from day to day even after coming to America. This was at a time when most American boys, especially boys his age did not wear shorts. He said that he felt that there was a conspiracy to keep him a child. Fairly large sums of money were involved. His transition to teenage parts did not go well. He continued making films, but was no longer a star.

Will Hey

Roddy played along side a British Commedian in this Gainsborough comedy film. The film was an attempt to launch Will Hey on America. The film was not all that funny and certainly did not include Will Hey's best comedy sketches. These could have been reworked and have been in later comedy films but the gags have been done by different artists. American and Britain share many art forms such as novels, poertry, painting, and others. One form that does not seem to travel well over the atlantic is humor and Will Hey never proved popular with american audiences.

Setting

The film is set in New York City.

Plot

Roddy plays a rich American kid and Will Hey was employed to be his history teacher. Will Hay plays the role of a mistaken identity. A millionaire family think he is a history professor and employ him to teach their son. The professor has a hard time keeping up with his new charge. Roddy plays a smartallic kid (Many child stars have had this role when sparing with adults). He had some great scenes with Will Hey. His tutor is suposed to be teaching him British History Prof. Phineas Tavistock (Will Hay) 'Let me tell you that England fought some of the most important battles in history ....and won the lot!!! Roddy Mcdowall ' What about when she fought America?" Prof. Phineas Tavistock: ' Ah , well. That was only our second eleven, playing away!!' Roddy McDowall and Will Hay on English Kings. Will Hay {Prof. PT) 'Alfred was the King of Mercia and one day he was sitting in a cave and he saw a spider.' Roddy McDowall: ' That was Robert the Bruce' Will Hay " I know it was Robert the Bruce. I'm not talking about that spider. This was another one. The spider that Alfred the Great saw was an English spider, where as the one that the Bruce saw came from Glasgow.' Roddy a few years later had a similar scene again when he was in the film "The Pied Piper" (1942). U.S. gangsters plan to kidnap Roddy and collect a fat ransome from his parents him and so do. Hey rescues him. Will Hey foils the kidnappers and more by luck than design rescues the boy. He leads him to safety by walking across a ledge high up on an apartment block. This scene is acted out against a background of the New York skyline - Empire State building etc.

Costuming

Roddy wore a long trousered suit. Our British reader writes, "I think that it might have been a mistake for Gauemont British to have had Roddy McDowall in long trousers. I expect Roddy thought otherwise, but I think the film would have worked better if he had a more boyish appearance in short trousers. Will Hey rescues the lad and the sympathy factor would have worked better to a much younger looking Roddy MacDowall. Will Hey, the bumbling teacher would have appeared more couragous.









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Created: December 4, 2003
Last updated: December 4, 2003