Information
- BFI identifier237751
- Date1936 (Production)
1940 (Release) - Production countryUnited Kingdom
- Production company
- SynopsisFinance comedy. Milton, a crooked company promoter, requires a scapegoat for a scam being planned by his boss, Samuel Goldenburg, and he offers the job to his out-of-work neighbour, family man Julien Roscoe. To avoid an immediate acceptance of the suspicious-sounding offer, Roscoe invents a fictitious partner, Walter C. Davis, an American who travels a lot, whom he says he must consult first, aware that this will bring him a certain cachet and more importantly buy him time to think it over. Roscoe is in possession of some dud shars in a rocket company, and a misunderstanding about them being apparently of interest to Davis leads to people buying them and their value suddenly soaring. This only confirms the astuteness of Davis in the eyes of Roscoe's new associates. Roscoe sets up on his own in an office with Mr Davis (who never seems to be in). Events go too far, however, and eventually he comes clean and admits he invented Davis, but hardly anyone believes him, since they feel they have good evidence of his existence. Meanwhile, George, a former financier who has gone insane, keeps hanging round the City offices speaking nonsense and harmlessly trying to set off a supposed bomb. When the bomb does go off, in Davis's office, Roscoe sees a chance to end the myth of Mr Davis for good. (Synopsis)
- Work historyProduction note: 'Quota quickie' (low-budget film) made to comply with the Cinematographic Act of 1927 by which a quota of the films shown in the UK every year had to be British.The film was produced in 1936 but does not appear to have received a release in Britain until 1940. The film was registered with the Board of Trade in that year. The film was trade shown and registered with the Board of Trade in February 1940 at 5219 feet. This is the length stated in the 'Kinematograph Weekly', but both the 'Monthly Film Bulletin' and 'Today's Cinema' list the film as being 5400 feet. Character name note: The character played by Bromley Davenport is called Lord Avonmouth in the cast list, but he is referred to throughout the film as Lord Avonlea. Setting note: A cheque and newspapers seen in the film indicate that the story takes place in the autumn on 1936.
- Genre
- Subject
- CreditsDirected by: Claude Autant-Lara
Production Company: Oxford Films [uncredited]
Distributed throughout the United Kingdom and Eire by: RKO Radio Pictures
view all - CastHenry Kendall (Julien Roscoe)
Kathleen Kelly (Audrey Roscoe)
Richard Gofe (Teddy Roscoe)
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Title
The Mysterious Mr. Davis (Original)
My Partner Mr Davis (Alternative)
EIDR identifier
10.5240/92C1-31E4-7157-CCF7-5E99-TCategory
FictionThis work is included in the BFI Filmography.
- Collections
- Film / Video
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - Viewing
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- +The Mysterious Mr. Davis
Work - 237751 - 1936 (Production)
United Kingdom - Film - Fiction
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