Movie Cosmos - Tom Brown's School Days

Description:

When private tutor Thomas Arnold (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) becomes headmaster at Rugby, a boy's preparatory school in England, he puts into place a policy of strict punishment for unruliness and bulying. Arnold finds an ally in Tom Brown (Jimmy Lydon), a new student who is subjected to hazing and abuse by a group of older boys and is pressured by his friends to keep quiet about it. Fed up, he leads his fellow classmates in an underground rebellion against their tormentors. But certain unspoken rules still apply at the school and Brown loses his hero status when he is accussed of breaking the Rugby code of silence.

Top Cast >

Cedric Hardwicke

As Dr. Thomas Arnold

Freddie Bartholomew

As East

Jimmy Lydon

As Tom Brown

Josephine Hutchinson

As Mrs. Mary Arnold

Billy Halop

As Flashman

Polly Moran

As Sally Harowell

Hughie Green

As Walker Brooke

Ernest Cossart

As Squire Brown

Alec Craig

As Old Thomas

Gale Storm

As Effie

Antoinette Rotche

As Tom Brown's Nanny

Lionel Belmore

As Tavern Keeper

Barlowe Borland

As Grimsby aka Old Grimey

Rita Carlyle

As Maid

Richard Clucas

As Boy

John 'Uh huh' Collum

As Sidney

Harry Duff

As Westcott

Calvin Ellison

As Boy

Harold Entwistle

As Dustman

Ian Fulton

As Old Brodie

Forrester Harvey

As Sam the Coachman

Cullen Johnson

As Boy

Calvin Leslie

As Boy

Peter Madden

As Jacob

Paul Mathews

As Lexton

Frank Mills

As School Porter

Alexander Pollard

As Butler

Charles Smith

As Diggs

Walter Tetley

As Student

Tommy Thompson

As Boy

Richard West

As Boy

Leonard Willey

As Farmer Jenkins

Dick Chandlee

As Tadpole Martin

Top Crew >

Robert Stevenson

Director, Additional Dialogue

C. Graham Baker

Producer, Screenplay

Gene Towne

Producer, Screenplay

Thomas Hughes

Novel

Walter Ferris

Screenplay

Frank Cavett

Screenplay

Nicholas Musuraca

Director of Photography

Anthony Collins

Original Music Composer

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (7/10)

There is something almost vicarious about this depiction of the trials and tribulations of the young "Tom Brown" (Jimmy Lydon) as he struggles at the famous Rugby school. It's more of an evaluation of his impassioned headmaster "Thomas Arnold" (Sir Cedric Hardwicke in one of his more substantial roles) who, despite his reputation for rather unorthodox teaching, accepts this position determined to drag education kicking and screaming, if needs be, into a new century. Like it or not, "Brown" is the to be held up as exemplar for his ideals. The story addresses the issues around modernising learning, but also of integrity and decency (and, frequently, the lack of those virtues) amongst the boys as they grow into men. "Flashman" (Billy Halop) is particularly effective as the young man's tormentor and Robert Stevenson creates a story that offers us an opportunity to scrutinise the aspirations (and sacrifices) of both teacher and pupils alike. Freddie Bartholomew ("Ned") and Josephine Hutchinson ("Mrs. Arnold") add richness to, and diversion from, the intensity of the story and help present us with decent thought-provoking exposé of attitudes and loyalties that still resonate 80 years later...

2022-06-23