Lee Mannering
Film God
Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted April 19, 2007 03:46 AM
NO LIMIT 1935
Starring George Formby and Florence Desmond.
If anything this will be the film George Formby will be remembered for.
George is an aspiring motorcyclist who had built his own motorcycle The Shuttleworth Snap. He dreams of entering the Isle of Man TT Race and his mother borrows the money from her husband so that George can enter the race speed trials. Eventually he wins the race after running out of fuel and having to push his bike across the finish line, but not before he wins the girl over and sings some great songs including “Riding in the TT Races” and my dads favourite Formby number “In a little Wigan Garden” amongst others.
The film features some hair raising scenes around the road circuit and some very good stunt work some of which George insisted he did himself. Co star Florence Desmond had a dislike for George in real life perhaps as a result of her also being a highly successful comedienne for a number of years. She also gets to sing a good number “Riding around on a Rainbow” which will have your feet tapping.
Over the years I have collected some good interviews from old folk on the Isle of Man who remembered the film being made and George was regularly seen out and about. In the 70’s I got to sit on one of Georges motorcycles and made a short film about its restoration, so you can tell I am a Formby nut!
No Limit launched George Formby into super stardom, and it was not long before he was the top box office draw at the cinema here in the UK by the late 40’s. Many would site No Limit as his finest film and it certainly has much to offer. Of his many films my own favourite is Let George Do It which was full of action, comedy and song.
The super 8mm release by Derann Films was slightly cut to make a 4 X 400ft release and it will in fact fit onto one 1200ft reel or two 600ft reels. The print was created from a 35mm master so the quality is superb and on black and white stock. If you have to choose one Formby which was obtainable on super 8 this should be top of your list perhaps. Good family entertainment from all those years ago when life was more simple.
George on his bike The Shuttleworth Snap.
[ April 30, 2007, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]
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