Irene Dunne

Alec Guinness

Andrew Ray

Beatrice Campbell

Finlay Currie

Constance Smith

Anthony Steel

Raymond Lovell

Marjorie Fielding

Nicholas Amer

Pamela Arliss

Wallace Bosco

Michael Brooke

Ernest Clark

Joe Cunningham

Patricia Davidson

Grace Denbeigh-Russell

George Dillon

Howard Douglas

Peter Drury

Peter Dunlop

John Fitchin

Vi Kaley

Jean Negulesco

Theodore Bonnet

Nunnally Johnson

Thelma Connell

William Alwyn

C.P. Norman

Georges Périnal

Hilda Grenier

Drama

The Mudlark

20th Century Fox

United States of America

United Kingdom

CinemaSerf

This is a slightly stiff rendition of an old story about a young scavenger who makes his living from the debris found by the river Thames in London. One day he happens upon a portrait of Queen Victoria and sets off to Windsor Castle (no small distance) to try and meet his Sovereign. Meantime the Queen (Irene Dunne) is still wallowing in grief following the death of Prince Albert and her Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Alec Guinness) is trying to coax her from her melancholy before it is too late for both her and the monarchy. A combination of circumstances lead to an engaging and slightly humorous set of scenarios and the mudlark gets his wish. This film provides an interesting observation on just how detached the Queen was from all of her people, not just the poorest; and of how ultimately the demonstration of innocence and, to some extent, loyalty by the child - along with some sagely interventions from Finlay Currie's highland ghillie John Brown - served to bring the Queen out of her isolation. It also features quite a stirring - and potent - oration from Guinness analysing the poverty and injustice visited upon those whom the state regarded as dispensable. A touching and life-affirming little film well worth a watch.

English

The Mudlark 1950 Trailer