Out of the Blue (1931 film)
| Industry | Film production |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Out of the Blue is a 1931 British musical film helmed by director Gene Gerrard, who also stars alongside Jessie Matthews and Kay Hammond. The production was carried out by British International Pictures at the Elstree Studios located near London, with art direction and set design credited to David Rawnsley.
This film marked the first significant screen appearance for Matthews. The storyline follows the daughter of a baronet who becomes romantically involved with a popular radio personality, despite his engagement to her sister. Although the movie did not achieve commercial success, it paved the way for Matthews to be cast in There Goes the Bride and secured her contract with Gainsborough Pictures. Matthews later reflected that "Out of the Blue originated from a stage musical and should have remained on stage." John Orton served as the supervising director.
Plot
Tommy Tucker (portrayed by Jessie Matthews), the daughter of a financially struggling aristocrat, is in love with Bill Coverdale (played by Gene Gerrard), a radio announcer who is engaged to her stylish sister Angela (Kay Hammond), though his feelings for Angela are not genuine. Seeking to escape her modest circumstances, Tommy travels to Biarritz where she takes up work as a nightclub singer.
Cast
- Gene Gerrard as Bill Coverdale
- Jessie Matthews as Tommy Tucker
- Kay Hammond as Angela Tucker
- Kenneth Kove as Freddie
- Binnie Barnes as Rosa
- David Miller as Sir Jeremy Tucker
- Fred Groves as Bannister Blair
- Averil Haley as Judy Blair
- Hal Gordon as Videlop
- Gordon Begg as Mumford
Critical reception
The film has been described as "lightweight" by both TV Guide and Britmovie.
Bibliography
- MacNab, Geoffrey. Searching for stars: stardom and screen acting in British cinema. Cassell, 2000.