George Formby was brought to Ealing Studios by Basil Dean.His first film "No Limit" struck gold.Formbys film character was refined ,and as a result he was top of the UK box office from 1938 to 1943.Dean is shown as producer of many of the films but in fact he had set up a special unit for Formby which churned out his films to a successful formula.It is quite clear from his autobiography,that Dean had no real affection for Formby and a positive loathing for Beryl.She was on the set for every take.In fact it is probably Beryl who actually deserves much of the credit for his success.This film works to the standard formula,with 3 very catchy songs,winning the girl and catching the crooks in the end.He is given very solid support by Gus McNaughton.Formby was no great film actor,and one suspects that the reason for McNaughton having such a big role was to carry much of the comedic business which was rather above Formbys capabilities.It is a reasonably entertaining film.

One of my favorite Formby movies, this one is a riot of laughs and thrills from beginning to end, with George himself not only in fine form but heading a really distinguished cast that includes Googie Withers and Gus McNaughton. Oddly the excellent Studio Canal DVD also alerts us to the presence of Ronald Shiner, despite the fact that Shiner's role is not only small but totally out of character. Shiner plays one of the crooks, but it's a serious, not a comedy part and Shiner himself is not on screen for more than three minutes. But don't let Shiner's shiner hold you back from purchasing the excellent Studio Canal DVD. Lavishly produced by Jack Kitchin and directed at an admirably fast pace by Anthony Kimmins, Trouble Brewing is first class entertainment from first to last. And it's now available, as said above, on an excellent Studio Canal DVD.

I bought the Studio Canal DVD as a Christmas present to myself as it was the only one of George Formby's films (from the original Ealing series) that I did not have in my collection.

The disc offers a beautiful print presumably from a pristine vault print and once I started watching the film, I realised that I did not remember it at all from the last time I saw it in the early 1960s on Granada TV, introduced by George himself.

With 3 terrific songs, the usual Formby stock company in supporting roles and Googie Withers a better leading lady than most of George's very posh girl friends, the film is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.

The pace is frenetic and handled superbly by director Kimmins and I think this, of all Formby's films, shows what a terrific physical comedian he really was. I did not spot any obvious doubling for his many stunts (check the way he slides down stairs, something he must have learned from watching Chaplin) and the Wrestling match is just priceless!

Audiences (especially children) must have loved this frolic back in 1939, just a few months before the outbreak of war would change British cinema forever and render such a harmless farce obsolete forever.

Highly recommended, not only for Formby Fans but for all lovers of great slapstick screen comedy.