Old Bones of the River
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| Old Bones of the River | |
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| Directed by | Marcel Varnel |
| Written by | Marriott Edgar Val Guest J.O.C. Orton |
| Starring | Will Hay Graham Moffatt Moore Marriott |
| Cinematography | Arthur Crabtree |
| Editing by | R.E. Dearing Alfred Roome |
| Release date(s) |  1938 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Old Bones of the River is a comedy film from 1938 starring British actor Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. The film is a spoof of the 1935 movie, Sanders of the River, and has been described as "the most comprehensive trashing of the British Empire ever put on celluloid" [[1]].
[edit] Synopsis
Will Hay plays Professor Benjamin Tibbetts, representative of the Teaching & Welfare Institution for the Reformation of Pagans (otherwise known as T.W.I.R.P for short, and dedicated to spreading education amongst the natives of colonial Africa.
As he arrives (still trying to learn the native language via recordings), Professor Tibbetts is tricked into sneaking a gin still into the country by a local prince.
Later, Tibbetts makes his way to Kombooli High, where his students wear Eton collars alongside their native garb and Tibbetts finds himself sporting a mortarboard and safari shorts due to the heat.
When the Commissioner falls ill with a dose of malaria, Tibbetts is forced to take over his duties, which include collecting the taxes. Upriver, he finds an old paddlesteamer operated by Harbottle (Moore Marriott) and Albert (Graham Moffatt) and the threesome rescue a baby from death by sacrifice.
Unfortunately, they also manage to precipitate a native uprising...
[edit] Cast
Will Hay - Professor Benjamin Tibbetts
Moore Marriott - Jerry Harbottle
Graham Moffatt - Albert
Robert Adams - Bosambo
Jack London - M'Bapi
Wyndham Goldie - Commissioner Sanders
Jack Livesey - Captain Hamilton
