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Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River Details

1938 Certificate TBC Certificate U (TBC)
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 425 members

When Professor Benjamin Tibbets travels to Africa up river to open schools for the natives, he experiences several setbacks. His new pupils are less than receptive, and when the commander of the local base goes down with malaria he takes on his duties as well. Aided by the crew of the boat on which he arrived, he sets about .. Read more

Starring Will Hay, Graham Moffatt, Moore Marriott, Hartley Power
Director Marcel Varnel, William Beaudine

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Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River

When Professor Benjamin Tibbets travels to Africa up river to open schools for the natives, he experiences several setbacks. His new pupils are less than receptive, and when the commander of the local base goes down with malaria he takes on his duties as well. Aided by the crew of the boat on which he arrived, he sets about collecting taxes from the locals, with hilarious results!

Starring Will Hay, Graham Moffatt, Moore Marriott, Hartley Power, Gina Malo, Norma Varden
Director Marcel Varnel, William Beaudine
Studio CARLTON VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Run time Watch now: 1 hr 27 mins
Certificate DVD: Certificate TBC, Watch Online: Certificate U (TBC)
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 16 Jun 2003
Watch now: 15 Sep 2009
Production year: 1938
Watch now Subscribe and watch this as part of an unlimited package.
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews of Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River

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  • 2 stars out of 5

    Following on from Convict 99 and Hey, Hey USA!, this muddled lampoon at the expense of the colonial service completed a decidedly disappointing 1938 for Will Hay. Although the film reunited him with regular stooges Moore Marriott and Graham Moffat, it was a rather uninspired spoof of the old Edgar Wallace story Sanders of the River, with the scriptwriters struggling to combine a worthwhile storyline with the endless stream of music-hall gags, some of which were so old they'd failed to amuse Queen Victoria. However, they are infinitely more preferable to the racist remarks, which are simply unacceptable today.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 11 Mar 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Will Hay loose in the British Empire

    Will Hay and sidekicks Graham Moffat and Moore Marriott ('Albert' and 'Harbottle') are let loose in 15,000 square miles of British-ruled territory in West Africa (which might possibly be in the vicinity of modern Nigeria). Will Hay plays a school master who comes out from Britain to educate 'the natives', only to discover that they are already very well educated. But when the commander of the British administration in the area falls ill with malaria, Hay sets out to collect taxes in his place, travelling up river on a clapped-out paddle boat with Albert and Harbottle, straight into a local coup and civil war. As usual, Hay manages to muddle through more by luck than judgement and everything ends with a bang. The film is based on the 'Sanders of the River' stories by Edgar Wallace. These situation comedies were very popular with English-reading audiences in the 1920s and 30s. Wallace had some direct knowledge of British colonial administration in Africa (he had lived in South Africa and been a journalist in what is now Zaire) and his stories reflect his views as a working-class Englishman from London's East End: the good British governor should keep the peace, look after his subjects and protect them from the evils of alchohol. Many modern readers regard the Sanders stories as racist. But Wallace did show that Mr Commissioner Sanders often made mistakes and relied heavily on Bosambo, chief of the Ochori people, to keep law and order and uphold his authority. In Wallace's stories the intelligent and educated Bosambo is usually several steps ahead of his British colleagues, but in the film he isn't allowed to get ahead of Will Hay -- a pity! Still, most of the episodes in the film are taken from Wallace's stories, and the film succeeds in getting a good deal of humour out of Will Hay's usual inability to cope with his surroundings. In short: the film is stereotyped and simplistic in its depictions; but as a study of a dithering Englishman, out of his depth and yet managing to muddle through, it is very true and very funny. Albert and Harbottle provide strong support as always.

      • A customer from Cardiff, Wales
      • Posted 04 Jul 2005 09:37

  • Most recent members' review of Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River

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  • Rated - 4 stars

    Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River

    ANOTHER WILL HAY CLASSIC,GREAT CAST AND ACTION SCENES FROM THIS OLD MOVIE.WELL WORTH A LOOK.

      • A customer from hyde tameside
      • Posted 09 Mar 2007 13:41

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425 Member ratings
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96
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      • When Professor Benjamin Tibbets travels to Africa up river to open schools for the natives, he experiences several setbacks. His new pupils are less than receptive, and when the commander of the ...