IN PRAISE OF THE COMMON PART 2

THE THEME OF GENTLE CONVENTIONALITY echoes in our review of the British flick This Happy Breed. Its time capsule continues here in Part 2 as the Gibbons family settles in to their South London suburban rental.

A Familiar Face. Frank Gibbons is delighted that his new next-door neighbour is Bob Mitchell, a mate from army days. Bob is portrayed by Stanley Holloway, later in the memorable role of Alfred Doolittle, Eliza’s father in both the Broadway and movie versions of My Fair Lady.

Above, Frank and Bob enjoy their Johnny Walker. Below, Christmas 1925 is enhanced by Frank’s new toy: a crystal radio.

Gibbons Family Vignettes and History. Wikipedia observes, “As the children grow up and the country adapts to peacetime, the family attend the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley in 1924 and acquire their first crystal radio around Christmas 1925.”

“During the General Strike of 1926 (in which Frank and Bob volunteer as driver and conductor of a bus), Reg is injured in a brawl. Vi blames Sam, her socialist boyfriend, who had brought her brother to the area, but eventually her anger dissipates and she marries him.”

Above, the General Strike of 1926. Below, Frank volunteers as a driver; his pal Bob collects fares.

Yes, the bus is one of London’s famed double-deckers. See “From ’Ammersmith to ’Ackney is a Tanner,” SimanaitisSays, for more details.

Above, daughter Queenie with mum Ethel. Below, Queenie challenges commonality in winning a Charleston dance contest.

In 1928, Queenie wins a Charleston dance contest. In 1929 Sam and Vi attend one of the new talking pictures, The Broadway Melody, at the cinema.” 

Ha. Through the wonders of TCM (rest in peace, Ted Turner), I too enjoyed this and other flicks of the era.

The Broadway Melody, 1929.

Soon, an ordinary radio resides in the Gibbons sitting room. It is often set to the era’s big band music, to be interrupted by news reports (King George V dies on January 20, 1936; King Edward VIII abdicates 11 months later). Newspaper headlines detail the electoral rise of the German Nazi Party.

A black-shirt rabble-rouser.

Wikipedia recounts, “Some time afterwards, in Hyde Park, Frank and Ethel briefly witness a member of the British Union of Fascists trying to stir up anti-Semitic sentiment among listeners.” For more on this, see “The Mitford Sisters (and Brother),” SimanaitisSays.

A cuppa helps resolve many a family conflict.

Love, Gentleness, and Forgiveness. Yet in time, love and forgiveness resolve matters for these gentle folk. And the movie closes with an overhead view of London just as it began.

What a gentle, entertaining time capsule. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026