An early landmark in the career of Carol Reed and Margaret Lockwood, who were solid names of British cinema in the 30s and became legends in the 40s. It's a simple enough tale of various people going away for a weekend - rather like the later Holiday Camp, which surely ripped off this film.
The stories aren't that much - two girls go looking for boys, a working class family hang out and are working class, and the most screen time is given to a slightly creepy tale about a nurse who meets a guy waiting for his wife to give birth, the wife dies, the nurse goes off for a weekend away with her boyfriend (they're not married) but she can't stop thinking about the guy. The plots in Holiday Camp were much better - there was more of them and they were better structured.
It is redeemed by the acting and the handling, which is very confident. Small roles are played by people like Felix Alymer and Wilfrid Lawson; Walter Patch and Kathleen Harrison are strong as the working class couple. Margaret Lockwood is lovely as the nurse, reluctant to hop in the sack with boyfriend Hugh Williams and obviously keen on newly widowed John Lodge. Rene Ray is quite good as the girl prepared to accept Williams the moment Lockwood's dumped him. (The women in this jump on a guy the moment he's single).
The tone of the stories are pleasingly adult - there's no doubt Williams wants to have sex with Williams, the world weary acceptance about the world from the hotel staff and police, Lodge contemplates suicide. There are neat touches such as all the people sleeping on the beach, the dancing, the scenes at the train station. I preferred Holiday Camp but this has a lot to admire.
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