IT'S IN THE AIR [1938]

 ME FIRST FORMBY! 

"Oh, mother!"  How could I have gone so long without seeing a George Formby movie.  I'm no stranger to him; I've got a cd or two of his recordings.  But never, until the inimitable Terry Frost (of Paleo-Cinema fame) chose this movie as one of his "random hidden gems" on a recent youtuber video here on his channel "Terry Talks Movies".  I've posted Terry's video below because it's wonderful and would make a great movie marathon list!  Now, I've seen a passel of Will Hay movies and a bevy of Norman Wisdom movies (mostly through the auspices of my friend Weaverman) but until now, no George Formby movies.  And since I'm going to try to watch all the films in Terry's 'Hidden Gems' video, I figured I'd start with this Formby fillum.  IT'S IN THE AIR is a pre-World War II romp featuring George as what I'm gathering is his patented movie character; a well-meaning but bumbling, naive but good-hearted nit who constantly gets himself into trouble usually from the cynical behaviour of others.  The ladies he encounters usually take a shine to him as they can see his inner heart of gold.  Basically the mother instinct kicks in.  George's character is a bit of a clod but I don't think he's stupid; he's just a mug who is taken advantage of by others. 

Unfortunately for George, he was refused admission into the R.A.F. because he doesn't know his left from his right.  While trying on his brother-in-law's RAF uniform, he discovers a dispatch in the pocket which he assumes have been forgotten.  So George hops in a motorbike (wearing his brother-in-law's RAF uniform) and heads off to deliver the documents.  Naturally, he is immediately mistaken for a dispatch driver from H.Q. and  is shanghaied by the Sgt. Major to chauffer him somewhere.  George in quick succession finds himself corralled into a host of military activities and is absolutely unable to escape from the air base!  This is a situation we've seen in quite a few comic actors' movies of this vintage (Hiya, Bud & Lou) but here the bits seem a little different and fresher.  And more importantly, genuinely funny.  There is a definite warmth to Formby which makes his character someone you want to root for. 

The Sgt. Major (gruffly played by film vet Julien Mitchell) is a wonderful, grouchy foil for George's character.  It is discovered that the Sgt. Major is an amateur ukelele player which you would think would immediately endear George to him but, naturally, things go wrong at every turn.  Speaking of ukelele, Formby plays a handful of great songs which keep things lively.  Often in films of this era, musical interludes stop the film dead but Formby's infectiously fun singing and ukelele playing are most welcome.  Polly Ward is lovely as the Sgt. Major's daughter Peggy as she slowly realises that George is being shamelessly pranked by a few of the military boys and becomes George's protector.  Of course, it should come as absolutely no surprise to you that George ends up somehow stuck inside a plane which takes off.  But again, this seemingly tired old trope here is oddly fresh and funny.  Terry Frost called George Formby movies 'comfort viewing' owing to his growing up watching them but, from this first-time viewer, I can tell you they're no less comfort viewing for me too!  Brand new eyes and ears can come to this movie (and I'm hoping all Formby's others) with a full appreciation of how charming, funny and comforting it is.  During the dark days leading up to World War II, I can see why this kind of film (and this kind of film star) would be just what the audience needed and wanted.  Fingers crossed that other George Formby movies are just as fun as this one!