The Happy Family (original title) (aka Mr. Lord Says No) (1952)
86 min | Comedy, Drama | 13 February 1952 (USA)
When the Government decide to build a Festival of Britain exhibition site, everything goes to plan, all except the fact that the main road and the pedestrian subway into the site, are blocked by a little corner shop, which is owned and run by a Mr. Lord and his family. When the Lords refuse to be bought off, and decline the compensation offered by the authorities. the police and the bailiffs try to evict them, only to come under fire from the family, who have barricaded themselves inside the shop.
Director: Muriel Box
Writers: Muriel Box, Sydney Box
Stars: Stanley Holloway, Kathleen Harrison, Naunton Wayne
86 min | Comedy, Drama | 13 February 1952 (USA)
When the Government decide to build a Festival of Britain exhibition site, everything goes to plan, all except the fact that the main road and the pedestrian subway into the site, are blocked by a little corner shop, which is owned and run by a Mr. Lord and his family. When the Lords refuse to be bought off, and decline the compensation offered by the authorities. the police and the bailiffs try to evict them, only to come under fire from the family, who have barricaded themselves inside the shop.
Director: Muriel Box
Writers: Muriel Box, Sydney Box
Stars: Stanley Holloway, Kathleen Harrison, Naunton Wayne
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00He's here.
00:05Good evening.
00:06Good evening.
00:07Sit there, Mr. Filch.
00:09Oh, thank you.
00:17Well, Mr. Lord, have you and your wife discussed our proposals?
00:21Yes, we talked things over and we've decided that as this lark affects all the family, they have a right to be here and ask questions.
00:27Any objections?
00:28None at all.
00:29Good.
00:30Well, this is my son, David.
00:32How do you do?
00:33His wife.
00:34How do you do?
00:35My daughter, Joan.
00:36How do you do?
00:37And that's Cyril.
00:38How do you do?
00:42Quite a family conference, eh?
00:46Now, you want to ask some questions?
00:48Yes.
00:49How much do you say this South Bank lark's going to cost?
00:52Oh, over six million pounds.
00:55And what profit do you expect to make?
00:57Profit, Mr. Lord?
00:59Oh, come, we should be lucky if our losses don't exceed five million.
01:03Why can't you move the new road a bit to the left or the right?
01:06Oh, we tried that, but it didn't work.
01:09We found that when we moved the road ten yards to the left, we should have to move the whole site ten yards to the left as well.
01:15What about the right?
01:16The same thing.
01:17Only then it would end up in the river.
01:19How much would it cost to move the site?
01:21Oh, about three or four million, I think.
01:24Oh, is that all?
01:25Well, why not vouch yourself another four million? The taxpayers won't mind, will they, Dad?
01:28No, only too happy to oblige.
01:30If you'd like to have my opinion...
01:31No, unfortunately, Mr. Lord, this is no longer a question of money, but time.
01:35We've got to open in six weeks.
01:37Now, Mr. Lord, how much are you asking for your property?
01:41Well, offhand, say six million.
01:45Six million? Oh, Mr. Lord, come, come.
01:49Well, that's what it's costing you one way or another, isn't it?
01:52Oh, now, please do let us be serious.
01:54Oh, I am being serious.
01:55Mr. Lord, the government is waiting.
01:58The festival is waiting.
02:00And, although they don't know it yet, the English people are waiting.
02:03Are they now? Fancy that.
02:06All those people just waiting for us.
02:08Well, surely you're not refusing to help us.
02:10You'll be refusing to help your country if you do that.
02:13You must agree.
02:14Must? Must, Mr. Felch?
02:17We don't like that word round here.
02:19I'm sorry, I can't help what word you like round here, Mr. Lord.
02:22And what will you do if we don't help you?
02:24Well, I hesitate to say it, but we can always use force.
02:27You mean the police?
02:29Yes, or the troops.
02:32Look, let's get this straight once and for all, shall we?
02:36As I see it, in order to show the world how we've really progressed in England,
02:40and to show them what sort of people we really are,
02:42you're prepared to use force to turn me and my family out of our house, is that it, Mr. Felch?
02:47Well, in a roundabout way.