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Say It with Flowers (1934)
Entertaining look at life among the London poor of the 1930s
When a London market worker and his flower-seller wife fall on hard times, their friends in the market get together to raise money for them via a benefit concert. The director is the prolific John Baxter (best film the classic "Love on the Dole"). He made a number of superior quota quickies in the early 30s - this one an outstanding social document. It's set in a London market - the opening sequence is an elegant one, trailing along market stalls to catch classic Cockney cross-talk before pitching into the main story-line, underlining the insecurity of life without a safety net. The stars of the concert are music-hall greats - Charles Coborn ("The man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo"), Florrie Forde ("Has anybody here seen Kelly?") and the superb musical comedy star Marie Kendall, grandmother of the lovely but short-lived Kay Kendall. (You can see where Kate got the talent from), Oh yes and the tap-dancer is my mum, Vi Kearney.