A Date with a Dream

A Date with a Dream
A Date with a Dream
Directed by	Dicky Leeman
Written by	Robert S. Baker; Monty Berman; Dicky Leeman; Carl Nystrom
Produced by	Robert S. Baker; Monty Berman
Starring	Terry-Thomas; Jeannie Carson; Len Lowe; Bill Lowe
Cinematography	Monty Berman
Edited by	Anne Barker
Production; company	Tempean Films
Distributed by	Grand National Pictures
Release date	November 1948;
Running time	55 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

A Date with a Dream is a 1948 British musical comedy film directed by Dicky Leeman and starring Terry-Thomas, Jeannie Carson and Wally Patch.^[1] Its plot concerns a wartime group of musical entertainers who meet up a year after being demobbed and decide to reform their act. This was one of Terry-Thomas's earliest films and is reputedly partly based on his own experiences.^[2] Terry-Thomas was yet to develop his cad persona and a then little-known Norman Wisdom appears in a very brief, non-speaking role.

Plot

When an Army concert party is disbanded after the war, they plan to meet up in a years time for a reunion. When they do they discover that all the various members aren't coping too well with civilian life. Jean, a singer who is staying in the same house as two of the ex-concert party members, suggests that the various members get back together to perform.^[3]

Cast

Terry-Thomas as Terry
Jeannie Carson as Jean
Len Lowe as Len
Bill Lowe as Bill
Wally Patch as Uncle
Vic Lewis as Vic
Ida Patlanski as Bedelia
Joey Porter as Max Imshy
Alfie Dean as Joe
Julia Lang as Madam Docherty
Harry Green as Syd Marlish
Norman Wisdom as shadow boxer
Sydney Bromley as stranger in Max's office

Critical reception

Sky Movies wrote, "a sparkling performance from the young Terry-Thomas and a bright, sassy attitude saves this dated, rather choppy little filler item from the scrapheap of movie history. Worth a look for nostalgia buffs and curio collectors".^[4]

A Date With A Dream was the first production of Tempean Films, a production company founded by Monty Berman and Robert S. Baker following their war service. Of the film, Baker later commented, "It didn't make us a penny, but it gave us a good introduction to the film business". Tempean would go on to produce many British B-movies throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s ^[5]

References

^ "BFI | Film & TV Database | DATE WITH A DREAM (1948)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
^ "A Date With A Dream Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ "BFI | Film & TV Database | DATE WITH A DREAM (1948)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ "Date with a Dream - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 4 October 2003. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ Sothcott, Jonathan (2001). The Flesh And The Fiends (DVD Liner Notes). Image Entertainment. p. 1.