John Baxter
1896 - 1975
Love on the Dole
John Baxter
Deborah Kerr, Clifford Evans
Depressing and realistic family drama about the struggles of unemployment and poverty in 1930s Lancashire. The 20-year-old Kerr gives an emotionally charged performance as Hardcastle, one of the cotton workers trying to make life better. Interlaced with humour that brings a ray of sunshine to the pervasive bleakness, this remains a powerful social study of life between the wars, and was a rare problem picture to come out of Britain at the time.
Love on the Dole
The Common Touch
John Baxter
Geoffrey Hibbert, Harry Welchman
The Common Touch is a 1941 British drama film directed by John Baxter and starring Geoffrey Hibbert, Harry Welchman, Greta Gynt and Joyce Howard. On the death of his father, an eighteen-year old lad leaves school to take over the family firm in the City of London. Realising the other directors want to keep him in the dark he starts asking questions, and is soon undercover as a down-and-out in a hostel which will disappear if a company building project goes ahead.
The Common Touch
Song of the Road
John Baxter
Bransby Williams, Ernest Butcher
After the Local council he works for decides to replace its horse-drawn services with motor vehicles, one of the drivers spends his savings to buy the horse. Together they search the countryside looking for work, and meeting an assorted group of characters on the way.
Song of the Road
Dreaming
John Baxter
Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen
When a pretty Wren faints in a crowded train, Private Bud Flanagan and Captain Ches Allen are quick to render first aid. But over Bud's head, a heavy kitbag wobbles; it falls and scores a direct hit, knocking him unconscious. What follows is a dream sequence involving Ches, the Wren and Bud himself in a series of hilarious adventures as well as a magical medley of the duo's best-loved musical numbers!
Dreaming
Talking Feet
John Baxter
Hazel Ascot, Jack Barty
An east London fishmonger's young daughter (Hazel Ascot) is so grateful to Dr Hood (John Stuart) for saving her dog Patch after a road accident that she persuades her dad and various friends to help stage a concert at the local Hippodrome to raise money to save the local hospital.
Talking Feet
The Shipbuilders
John Baxter
Clive Brook, Morland Graham
A patriotic, cinematic salvo, this wartime production tells the story of the owner of a shipbuilding company doing his best to contribute to the British fleet. War is good for business, but what will happen once the war is won? It was based on a novel by George Blake.
The Shipbuilders
Here Comes the Sun
John Baxter
Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen
When a wealthy newspaper proprietor passes away, his crooked business partner moves to secure the deceased's fortune by substituting a false will. But 'Corona' Flanagan is onto the fraudster, and his efforts to unmask the villain see him popping in and out of jail – which isn't all that bad, since the governor is an old friend of his – and dressing up as a Russian countess...
Here Comes the Sun
Doss House
John Baxter
Frank Cellier, Arnold Bell
An escaped convict is on the loose, and the police are searching all the doss-houses in the hopes of finding him there. A young journalist is sent by his editor to assist in the search with the aim of reporting on any interesting stories he may find among those seeking shelter that night in the local doss-house, and is eager to help with the arrest. Among the characters they encounter are a man who claims to have got away with murder, and an alcoholic former concert pianist.
Doss House
Crook's Tour
John Baxter
Basil Radford, Naunton Wayne
Charters and Caldicott are touring the Middle East. After visiting Saudi Arabia they find themselves in Bagdad where they are mistaken by a group of German spies for the messengers who are to carry a song record by beautiful singer La Palermo which contains secret instructions of the German Intelligence. Realizing their error, the German spies follow Charters and Caldicott to Istanbul and Budapest, trying to eliminate them and retrieve the record.
Crook's Tour
Ramsbottom Rides Again
John Baxter
Arthur Askey, Glenn Melvyn
Bill Ramsbottom sells his English pub and drags his family off to Canada where he has inherited a ranch from his grandfather Wild Bill Ramsbottom. He ends up tangling with outlaw Black Jake, an Indian chief Blue Eagle, and the local law.
Ramsbottom Rides Again
