Old Mother Riley's Ghosts (1941, UK)

Old Mother Riley gets sacked from her cleaning job at the factory Arthur Lucan as Old Mother Riley and daughter Kitty discover get mixed up in industrial espionage at the factory where they work. They are lured to a remote Scottish castle where the gang will stop at nothing to get the secrets from their friends.

In real life Arthur Lucan was married to Kitty McShane, who played the daughter. The comedy is pretty difficult to laugh at these days, but the duo were big name entertainment in their day. Lucan's very peculiar character, and the odd phraseology and strange athletic gestures and body movements were imitated and were the subject of cartoon strip stories with a wide readership.


Ned, a gang member, played by Arthur Lucan As part of the plot, one of the gang, "Ned" looks like Old Mother Riley, and dresses up as her to deceive Mother Riley's friends. Of course Ned is also played by Arthur Lucan; I think this is his only film appearance in a male role.

UK viewers of the film will instantly recognise the voice of John Laurie who plays the keeper of the Scottish castle; Laurie later moved up from playing character roles in films, including the evil Ebenezer in Kidnapped and an evil crofter in The Thirty-Nine Steps, to be Private Frazer in the very successful television series, Dad's Army.

HF November 2005


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