Just William's Luck (film)

Just William's Luck is a 1947 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham, Garry Marsh and Jane Welsh. The film was based on the Just William series of books by Richmal Crompton. Crompton was impressed with the film and wrote a novel Just William's Luck based on the events of the film. The following year a second film William Comes to Town was made.

Plot
William Brown, leader of his gang, "The Outlaws", while exploring/playing in a "haunted house", stumble across a gang of fur thieves. The children are kidnapped and are bundled into the back of a lorry which drives off. Spotting a large bag of flour, the boys proceed to kick it open. Its contents spill through a gap in the floorboards of the truck's cargo bay. This leaves a trail on the road for the police to follow who ultimately catch and foil the gang of fur robbers.

Cast

 * William Graham - William Brown
 * Garry Marsh - Mr. Brown
 * Jane Welsh - Mrs. Brown
 * Hugh Cross - Robert Brown
 * Kathleen Stuart - Ethel Brown
 * Leslie Bradley - The Boss
 * A. E. Matthews - The Tramp
 * Muriel Aked - Emily, the Maid
 * Brian Roper - Ginger
 * Brian Weske - Henry
 * Audrey Manning - Violet Elizabeth
 * Hy Hazell - Gloria Gail
 * Patricia Cutts - Gloria's Secretary
 * James Crabbe - Douglas
 * Michael Balfour - Jenks
 * Ivan Hyde - Glazier
 * Joan Hickson - Hubert's Mother
 * John Powe - Policeman
 * Anne Marie - Masseur
 * Leslie Hazell - Hubert's Gang
 * Peter David - Hubert's Gang
 * John O'Hara - Hubert's Gang
 * Michael Medwin - The Boss's Gang
 * John Martell - Johnnie
 * Ivan Craig - The Boss's Gang

Production
Val Guest had some troubles working with children but said otherwise production went smoothly and both William films were "very successful."

Critical reception
Radio Times wrote, "while William Graham captures something of the scruffy boisterousness of Richmal Crompton's timeless comic creation, director Val Guest's screenplay smoothes away the rougher edges to produce a sanitised tale of childhood mayhem, suitable for young eyes. The same paternalism dogged the sequel, William at the Circus"; while Sky Movies wrote, "it's a lively romp with a jolly knockabout climax in a house that William and his gang of `outlaws' are trying to haunt."