British Comedy Guide
The Penny Pool. Image shows left to right: Renee Harland (Luanne Shaw), Tommy Barcroft (Tommy Fields)
The Penny Pool

The Penny Pool

  • 1937 film

Football penny pools have never been more popular, but for factory worker Renee they spell disaster. Stars Douglas Wakefield, Chuck O'Neil, Billy Nelson, Jack Butler, Luanne Shaw and more.

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Key details

Genre
Film
Released
1937
Stars
Douglas Wakefield, Chuck O'Neil, Billy Nelson, Jack Butler, Luanne Shaw, Tommy Fields, Elsie Brown, Charles Sewell and more
Writers
Arthur Mertz and Ronald Gow
Director
George Black Jnr
Company

All the workers at the Barcroft factory are playing the penny pools, all the more spurred on by the boss's son, Tommy, having recently won a respectable sum.

Unfortunately Tommy's father has a puritanical streak about him and will not countenance a range of hobbies and pastimes, all forms of gambling included, on company time. Renee Harland, a factory girl who Tommy has a particular soft spot for, completes her coupon diligently over her lunch break as usual, but is delayed from getting back to work by a domineering colleague; and when the senior Mr Barcroft sees her with the coupon, she's summarily sacked.

Tommy protests to his father in her favour, but it's no use: so he resigns and walks out too! Now both in need of employment, they find a quiet café for a drink and to gather their thoughts, where discussions soon escalate and Tommy decides to put his winnings to use for both their sakes.

Meanwhile, the haphazard mechanics working at a garage - Duggie, Chuck, Billy and Jack - get into a terrible confusion over a repair job and are soon also looking for new employment.

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Additional details

UK certificate
U
Duration
90 minutes
Distributors

Mancunian Films

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Black and white

Website links

Recording details

  • Highbury Studios

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