"Kipps," or "The Remarkable Mr. Kipps" is a British comedy drama made during World War II. It is "the story of a simple soul," as an opening sub-title appears on the screen. The story is about a young commoner in England in the late 19th century who is sent off to a larger town to apprentice as a retail store clerk. The 15-year-old Arthur Kipps leaves his uncle and aunt for the big city, and also a neighbor girl.
After a few years pass, he comes into a fortune left by a grandfather he never knew. This H. G. Wells story was somewhat autobiographical. Kipps is then taken advantage of by some gold-diggers. But he meets girlhood friend Ann Pornick again and runs off to marry her in London - leaving his fiancé, her brother, mother and another friend in the gold-digger bunch in the lurch. He loses his fortune by the fiancé's brother's thievery, but by chance of having also put some money up for an actor-writer, again comes into the money. And so, it has a happy ending.
It's a good story, with some more ups and downs along the way, and Kipps meeting and befriending many folks in the working class. This is the type of film that develops slowly, which may not be to modern audience liking of people who have adrenalin kicks with lots of action. With it's setting, there's no indication at all that WW II is going on at the time.
The cast all are good, with Michael Redgrave showing his talent at 33 years of age, playing the polite yet at times flummoxed Arty Kipps. Phyllis Calver is the grown Ann Pornick and Diana Wynyard plays the snobbish fiancé, Helen Walshingham. Edward Ribby is the senior staff member, Buggins, in the retail clothing store where Kipps learns a trade. Michael Wilding has a short appearance in the role of Helen's brother, Ronnie Walshingham, who goes South with Kipps' fortune.
After a few years pass, he comes into a fortune left by a grandfather he never knew. This H. G. Wells story was somewhat autobiographical. Kipps is then taken advantage of by some gold-diggers. But he meets girlhood friend Ann Pornick again and runs off to marry her in London - leaving his fiancé, her brother, mother and another friend in the gold-digger bunch in the lurch. He loses his fortune by the fiancé's brother's thievery, but by chance of having also put some money up for an actor-writer, again comes into the money. And so, it has a happy ending.
It's a good story, with some more ups and downs along the way, and Kipps meeting and befriending many folks in the working class. This is the type of film that develops slowly, which may not be to modern audience liking of people who have adrenalin kicks with lots of action. With it's setting, there's no indication at all that WW II is going on at the time.
The cast all are good, with Michael Redgrave showing his talent at 33 years of age, playing the polite yet at times flummoxed Arty Kipps. Phyllis Calver is the grown Ann Pornick and Diana Wynyard plays the snobbish fiancé, Helen Walshingham. Edward Ribby is the senior staff member, Buggins, in the retail clothing store where Kipps learns a trade. Michael Wilding has a short appearance in the role of Helen's brother, Ronnie Walshingham, who goes South with Kipps' fortune.