No Limit (1935 film)

No Limit
File:No Limit FilmPoster.jpeg Film poster for No Limit
Directed by	Monty Banks
Produced by	Basil Dean
Written by	Tom Geraghty Fred Thompson Walter Greenwood
Starring	George Formby Florence Desmond Edward Rigby
Music by	Ernest Irving Ord Hamilton
Cinematography	Robert Martin
Edited by	Jack Kitchin
Production company	Associated Talking Pictures
Distributed by	Associated British
Release dates	28 October 1935 (1935-10-28)
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£30,000

No Limit is a 1935 British musical comedy starring George Formby and Florence Desmond. The film, which was directed Monty Banks, was made on location at the Isle of Man's famous TT motorcycle race. It was the first of eleven films that Formby made with Associated Talking Pictures.

Although Formby had already made two moderately successful films, No Limit was the film that put him on the road to stardom. It is still regarded as one of his best and funniest featuring good songs and numerous stunts.

Plot

George Shuttleworth (Formby) is a chimney sweep from Wigan who dreams of winning the Isle of Man TT. Unfortunately, George's attempts to secure a factory ride with the Rainbow Motorcycle Company are unsuccessful and consequently he resorts to entering his own machine the "Shuttleworth Snap", a motorcycle derived from an old Rainbow machine. Whilst running the engine of his machine, George inadvertently knocks the motorcycle off its stand and crashes into the fence of his next door neighbour (Mr Hardache), who goads George about his dream of winning the T.T.

Undeterred, George asks his mother if she could lend him £5 so as he can make his way to the Isle of Man in order to compete at the races. Although unable to give him the £5 directly, George's mother endeavours to take the money from his Grandpa's savings which he keeps concealed in the lining of the settee. With money 'borrowed' from his grandfather, George make his way by train to Liverpool and embarks on the steamer for Douglas.

As he prepares to embark, George's attention is drawn to the arrival of the more famous T.T. competitors -such as Bert Tyldesley- who embarks onto the steamer with the secretary of boss of the Rainbow Motorcycle Company, Florrey Dibney (Florence Desmond). George attempts to be included in a photograph with Tyldesley and another T.T. rider -Norton-, but as they assemble for the photograph, George observes a stray cargo crate heading towards them. In order to save Florrie from being struck by the crate, George pushes her out of the way and consequently knocks her hat over the side of the ship.

More concerned at the loss of her hat than the danger posed by the cargo crate, Florrie takes George to task, and he resolves to climb down the side of the ship to retrieve the hat. As George begins to descend the side of the ship on a rope, the order is given to cast off and the deck hands begin to haul in the rope just as George reaches the ship's side belting. Holding onto the very end of the rope, it is suddenly hauled up and George falls into the water.

He not only succeeds in winning the race, but the girl as well.

Cast

File:George Formby statue – geograph 3142096.jpg

Statue of George Formby in Douglas, Isle of Man

• George Formby as George Shuttleworth
• Florence Desmond as Florrie Dibney
• Edward Rigby as Grandfather Shuttleworth
• Florence Gleason as Mrs Shuttleworth
• Beatrix Fielden-Kaye as Mrs Horrocks
• Howard Douglas as Turner
• Jack Hobbs as Bert Tyldesley
• Alf Goddard as Norton
• Peter Gawthorne as Mr Higgins
• Eva Lister as Rita
• Evelyn Roberts as BBC Commentator
• Ernest Sefton as Mr Hardacre
• Arthur Young as Doctor

Reception

The film was released in late 1935 and was an immediate commercial success. It was reissued in 1938, 1946 and 1957. In 1936 the film put Formby fourth on the list of top box-office draws at the cinema in the UK.

Although The Observer thought that parts of No Limit were "pretty dull stuff", the race footage was "shot and cut to a maximum of excitement". The reviewer thought that "our Lancashire George is a grand lad; he can gag and clown, play the banjo and sing with authority ... Still and all, he doesn't do too bad."

Production

Writing

The screenplay was developed by Tom Geraghty and Fred Thompson from a story written by Walter Greenwood, who had just enjoyed literary success with Love on the Dole.

Filming

The 1935 Isle of Man TT was used as the backdrop by the film's producers. Many locations on the Isle of Man were featured in the film, these included Douglas Beach, White City, Douglas Head Road, Douglas Palace Ballrooms and the Douglas Camera Obscura. The Mona's Queen (1934), the newest addition to the fleet of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, was used for scenes shot in Liverpool.

However filming was not an easy process because of Formby's wife: Beryl Ingham, who was also his business manager. Her behaviour towards the cast and crew was both difficult and domineering. Film historian Matthew Sweet described the set as a "battleground" because of her actions. Director Monty Banks approached Basil Dean, the head of Associated Talking Pictures (ATP), to have Ingham barred from the production but was unsuccessful. The experience left him bitter, he would later say, "The only time you’ll get me directing anything where that fucking Formby woman is concerned will be when she is playing the murder victim and the scene is for real." Ingham's constant attempts to maximise the publicity surrounding Formby's appearance in the film also led to tension with fellow co-star, Florence Desmond. It finally came to a head when Ingham put billboards up on the production vans stating: "Associated Pictures now filming No Limit with George Formby". Desmond threatened to quit until Formby diffused the situation by quietly removing the signs after his wife had left for the day.

Many of the stunts in the movie were performed by motorcycling riders from the Isle of Man such as brothers Bertie and Harold Rowell. They were paid £75 per day for their appearances. Members of the Peveril Motor Cycle Club also carried out some of the stunts, including Cyril Standen who crashed into the front-door of the Ballacraine Hotel and the crash into the river at Sulby. Jack Cannell also featured as a stunt rider wearing bib number 15.

The climax of the film has Formby needing to win the race by pushing his bike the final 500 yards to the winning line. In the scene used in the film, Formby is seen collapsing. This was real; after doing 15 takes in hot weather, he fell down and a doctor was requested.

Soundtrack

• "Riding in the TT Races". Performed by George Formby and written by Cliffe & Gifford
• "Riding Around on a Rainbow". Performed by George Formby and Florence Desmond and written by Fred E. Cliffe
• "In a Little Wigan Garden". Performed by George Formby and written by Cliffe & Gifford
• "Your Way is My Way". Performed by George Formby and written by Harry Parr-Davis

Notes

Citations

External links

• No Limit at IMDb

Photos

• No Limit film still (retrieved 16 November 2006)
• No Limit film still (retrieved 6 November 2006)
• No Limit film still (retrieved 6 November 2006)

Other

• [1] (retrieved 6 November 2006
• IOM Guide for No Limit (retrieved 6 November 2006)