Low comedy is a very National thing. Foreign audiences struggle to get the joke when presented with Will Hay, George Formby, Arthur Askey or the Crazy Gang in the same way that we look on with incomprehension at the films of Judy Canova or Fernandel. However, many of the best films of Hay, Formby etc weren't entirely British. They were directed by a Frenchman - Marcel Varnel.
He began as an actor on the Paris stage and moved into directing musical comedies. In 1925 he moved to Broadway and got a reputation as a director of operettas. Hollywood called and he made a few undistinguished films there. He moved to England which was crying out for competent directors. He quickly established himself as a musical comedy director, bringing out the best in such stars as Clifford Mollison, Gene Gerrard and Dolly Haas.
It was his collaboration with Will Hay that produced his best work. From Good Morning, Boys onwards they produced some sublime comedy. Varnel could orchestrate the sort of chaotic environment that Hay's humour thrived in.
He was also able to negotiate thorough the minefield that was The Crazy Gang - directing four of their five films: making sure that each of the double acts had equal screen time, avoiding close-ups to prevent jealousy, and still making great screen entertainment.
He also made nine George Formby films (six in a row from Much Too Shy). This might have been too much of a strain since the films mark Formby's decline as a Cinema star. With Varnel's last film This Man Is Mine he broke free of the Formby straightjacket and was set to make the period comedy The First Gentleman when he was killed in a car crash.
Marcel Varnel's comedies are the standard by which every British Comedy is judged. If he had only made Oh, Mr Porter! his place in cinema history would be secure, but he made a whole lot more. His early death was a loss.
| 1932 | Chandu the Magician (U.S.) |
| 1932 | The Silent Witness (U.S.) |
| 1933 | Infernal Machine (U.S.) |
| 1934 | Freedom of the Seas |
| 1934 | Girls Will Be Boys |
| 1935 | Dance Band |
| 1935 | I Give My Heart |
| 1935 | No Monkey Business |
| 1936 | All In |
| 1936 | Public Nuisance No. 1 |
| 1936 | Good Morning, Boys |
| 1937 | Okay for Sound |
| 1937 | Oh! Mr Porter |
| 1938 | Convict 99 |
| 1938 | Alf's Button Afloat |
| 1938 | Hey! Hey! USA |
| 1938 | Old Bones of the River |
| 1939 | Ask a Policeman |
| 1939 | Band Waggon |
| 1939 | The Frozen Limits |
| 1939 | Where's That Fire? |
| 1940 | Gasbags |
| 1940 | Neutral Port |
| 1940 | Let George Do It |
| 1941 | Hi, Gang! |
| 1941 | I Thank You |
| 1942 | Turned Out Nice Again |
| 1941 | The Ghost of St Michael's |
| 1941 | South American George |
| 1942 | King Arthur Was a Gentleman |
| 1942 | Much Too Shy |
| 1943 | Get Cracking |
| 1943 | Bell-Bottom George |
| 1944 | He Snoops to Conquer |
| 1945 | I Didn't Do It |
| 1946 | George in Civvy Street |
| 1946 | This Man is Mine |
