Emil and the Detectives
Erich Kästner’s beloved novel has been adapted for film or television six times since its publication in 1929; this 1935 British version was the first in English. Believed lost for decades, it was recently rediscovered by the BFI and has now been restored. The film moves the action from Berlin to London, where Emil goes to stay with his grandmother and cousin. Thereafter, the tale of Emil’s adventures with a gang of streetwise London children faithfully follows the original plot.
Cast
John Williams
as Emil
George Hayes
as The Man in The Boeler Hat
Mary Glynne
as Mrs. Blake
Clare Greet
as Grandma
George Merritt
as PC
Marion Foster
as Polly
Donald Pittman
as Gussy
John Singer
as Thesday
Derek Blomfield
as Jerry
Robert Rietti
as Professor
Reviews
CinemaSerf
John Williams is "Emil", a young lad who is the victim of a robbery whilst travelling on a train to visit his grandmother. Suspicious of the "Man in the Bowler Hat" (George Hayes) it falls to him and group of London street urchins to recover this quite substantial amount of cash. Some British cinema...
