CASH (IF I WERE RICH)

Cash (If I Were Rich) is a creaky comedy drama from the early '30s. It is very stagebound, seemingly based on a play, all interiors. However, it is of interest to see Robert Donat and Edmund Gwenn in early roles. The film was also directed by Zoltan Korda who was to go on to make The Drum, Four Feathers, The Macomber Affair, Sahara. The film is an ironic little fable about love for money, doing business without money, ambitions and, of course, true love.

1. An English comedy drama of the 1930s? Enjoyable in its time? Dated?

2. Black and white photography, sets? Small budget? Interiors? bound? The elementary sound techniques? Musical score?

3. The title, the reality, ironies?

4. Mr Gilbert and Lilian: the house, the preparation for the dinner, Joseph as butler, the carryon? The irony that he had no money? Persuading the businessmen to come, his deal? The maid leaving, no food, his going to the store and ordering big? The debt collectors and his devices? The meeting with Martin? The electricity to go off? The irony of the cash? His setting up the meeting with Hunt, producing the money, doing the deal, Myers and Jordan arriving? Martin trying to control the situation when the money was burnt? The success of the deal, his reaction against Martin marrying his daughter? The happy ending?

5. Lilian and her helping her father, managing a household, the debt collectors, the electricity going off, Martin, their talking, falling in love, his getting dressed and part of the plan, the money being burnt, falling truly in love?

6. Robert Donat as Martin - on the tube, talking, losing his wealth, the criminal, the bag? Turning off the electricity? His infatuation with Lilian? The money? Returning the dinner suit, his dreams, helping Gilbert in his plan, changing and doing the deal once the money was burnt? Declaration of love? Happy ending?

7. The businessmen and their schemes, plans, going along with Gilbert, leading him along? His leading them along? Their prestige, deals?

8. Joseph, his loss of wealth, helping the family, acting the butler, his burning the money, request for shares?

9. Scenes in the tube, the police, the debt collectors?

10. English style comedy drama of the 1930s?