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Alfred Hitchcock was born this day, 1899. Here is a not-too-well-known cricket connection.
Most of us have seen the 1938 movie The Lady Vanishes.
The movie featured two characters of relatively less significance, Charters (Basil Radford) and Caldicott (Naunton Wayne).
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Most of us have seen the 1938 movie The Lady Vanishes.
The movie featured two characters of relatively less significance, Charters (Basil Radford) and Caldicott (Naunton Wayne).
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When the characters check in to a hotel in a fictitious place called Bandrika, there is a call for Mr Seltzer.
The manager goes to find him.
Charters takes this moment to ask the caller about what is happening to England in the Manchester Test match.
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The manager goes to find him.
Charters takes this moment to ask the caller about what is happening to England in the Manchester Test match.
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The caller does not know. Charters responds with "you can't be in England and not know the Test score."
In another scene, Charters and Caldicott were having a conversation in the salon when Iris (Margaret Lockwood) and Mrs Froy (May Whitty) were having a meal in the salon.
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In another scene, Charters and Caldicott were having a conversation in the salon when Iris (Margaret Lockwood) and Mrs Froy (May Whitty) were having a meal in the salon.
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Charters: It wasn't out. But for the umpire's blunder, he'd still be batting.
Caldicott: What do you mean?
Charters: I'll show you. I saw the whole thing (pours the sugar cubes on the table).
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Caldicott: What do you mean?
Charters: I'll show you. I saw the whole thing (pours the sugar cubes on the table).
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There's Hammond, there's the bowler, and there's the umpire. Now watch this very carefully. Grimmett was bowling...
Later in the movie, after Mrs Froy vanishes, Iris and Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) begin their frantic search inside the train.
They bumped into our duo.
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Later in the movie, after Mrs Froy vanishes, Iris and Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) begin their frantic search inside the train.
They bumped into our duo.
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Iris: I was having tea about an hour ago with an English lady. You saw her, didn't you?
Charters: Well, I don't know, I mean, I was talking to my friend, wasn't I?
Caldicott: Indubitably.
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Charters: Well, I don't know, I mean, I was talking to my friend, wasn't I?
Caldicott: Indubitably.
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Iris: Yes, but you were sitting at the next table. She turned and borrowed the sugar. You must remember.
Charters: Yes, I recall passing the sugar.
Iris: Well, then you saw her.
Charters: I repeat we were deep in conversation. We were discussing cricket.
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Charters: Yes, I recall passing the sugar.
Iris: Well, then you saw her.
Charters: I repeat we were deep in conversation. We were discussing cricket.
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Iris: Well, I don't see how a thing like cricket can make you forget seeing people.
Charters (furious): Oh, don't you? If that's your attitude, there's nothing more to be said! Come, Caldicott. "Thing like cricket!"
(they leave)
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Charters (furious): Oh, don't you? If that's your attitude, there's nothing more to be said! Come, Caldicott. "Thing like cricket!"
(they leave)
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Gilbert: Wrong tactics. We should've told him we were looking for a lost cricket ball.
And then, when they landed in London, eager to catch the train to Manchester, they learn that the Test had been abandoned due to floods.
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And then, when they landed in London, eager to catch the train to Manchester, they learn that the Test had been abandoned due to floods.
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Now, was a Test really abandoned at Manchester due to floods?
The movie was released on November 1, 1938. Of course there was an Ashes that year!
And of course the third Test at Old Trafford was washed out without a ball being bowled!
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The movie was released on November 1, 1938. Of course there was an Ashes that year!
And of course the third Test at Old Trafford was washed out without a ball being bowled!
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PS
Charters and Caldicott attained cult status.
Radford and Wayne reprised their roles in Carol Reed's Night Train to Munich (1940), written by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, who had also co-written The Lady Vanishes.
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Charters and Caldicott attained cult status.
Radford and Wayne reprised their roles in Carol Reed's Night Train to Munich (1940), written by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, who had also co-written The Lady Vanishes.
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In Anthony Page's 1979 remake of The Lady Vanishes, Arthur Lowe played Charters, and Ian Carmichael, Caldicott.
BBC ran a six-episode series called Charters and Caldicott in 1985, on the post-retirement lives of the duo. Julian Amyes cast Robin Bailey and Michael Aldridge.
BBC ran a six-episode series called Charters and Caldicott in 1985, on the post-retirement lives of the duo. Julian Amyes cast Robin Bailey and Michael Aldridge.
I know I have bored people with this funda before, but let me still tag
@joybhattacharj @RandomCricketP1 @sidvee
@the_kk
@joybhattacharj @RandomCricketP1 @sidvee
@the_kk
