The Lad

The Lad
British trade ad
Directed byHenry Edwards
Written by
Produced byJulius Hagen
Starring
CinematographySydney Blythe
Music byW.L. Trytel
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • 27 February 1935 (1935-02-27)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Lad is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Gordon Harker, Betty Stockfeld and Jane Carr. It was written by Gerard Fairlie from a story by Edgar Wallace, and was made at Twickenham Studios.

Plot

Bill Shane is The Lad, an opportunistic petty criminal mistaken for a private detective. When Shane arrives at a remote country estate, he is offered much money not to delve into the private affairs of the Fandon family. Shane is all for taking the money and duping the family, but on being reunited with ex-girlfriend Pauline, now the Fandons' maid, he decides to turn over a new leaf.

Cast

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "Gordon Harker is in irresistible form as The Lad, such is his flair for cockney character-drawing that he is able to bring human interest as well as comedy to the part. ... Bright ingenious story, great performance by Gordon Harker, smart dialogue, adequate support and powerful title and star values"

The Radio Times wrote, "Gordon Harker was such a favourite of crime writer Edgar Wallace that he frequently had material especially tailored for him. It's hardly surprising, therefore, that the actor is totally at home in this serviceable adaptation of one of Wallace's most popular thrillers... Director Henry Edwards wisely keeps the action brisk and on the light side, as the mystery is hardly baffling and the performances are painfully stiff."

References

  1. ↑ "The Lad". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
  2. ↑ "The Lad (1935)". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Wood, Linda (1986). British Films, 1927–1939 (PDF). British Film Institute. p. 86. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Lad". Kine Weekly (1454): 27. 28 February 1935. ProQuest 2467903659.
  5. ↑ Parkinson, David. "The Lad". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015.