The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss

1937 "A Story of Rags to Riches... and More Riches"
6.3| 1h20m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 27 February 1937 Released
Producted By: Garrett-Klement Pictures
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

A bored millionaire wagers his doctor that he can support himself at a working class job for a year without touching his inheritance.

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Reviews

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.
Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
MartynGryphon The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss, is not a mind blowing film by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is noteworthy as being the one and only film Cary Grant ever made in his native England for an English Studio.Grant plays Ernest Bliss, a wealthy London playboy with nothing to do but drink martini's in his posh west end club and wine and dine the female socialites of his class. Amazingly, he's still not a happy man, he's restless and short tempered and not knowing why, he visits the Harley Street Offices of Doctor Sir James Alroyd. (Peter Gawthorne). Sir James however, not only has his Harley Street practice, but is a great philanthropist who also helps the poorer people from the East End over come their ailments for little or no payment, and cannot disguise his visible contempt for Bliss.After examining Bliss he delivers his diagnosis to the shocked playboy, which turns out to be nothing more than a chronic case of boredom. He's bored because he's been spoilt and pampered all of his life without ever having to do a single thing for himself and hasn't anything constructive to do but live out his days spending his inheritance. Bliss in an attempt to prove there is more to him than what Sir James has said, bets him £50'000 that he can make an honest living for a whole year without touching any of his money for his own benefit.Incognito, Bliss sets off to the East End in an old suit and just enough money for the tube fare, but soon realises that his 'quest' is not as easy as he first thought. However, he also realises the strength and kindheartedness of the working classes. He's touched by the generosity of these people, good people who will give you what they have even though they haven't that much to give. Convinced that he is not using his money for HIS own benefit as his deal with Sir James stipulated, Bliss begins to use his inheritance to help these people out of certain situations, thus changing their lives for the better.As I mentioned earlier, it's not a great film but it's heart is certainly in the right place. and the movie is riddled with great and much missed British character actors/actresses of the 1930's and '40's. American Actress Mary Brian plays Frances Clayton, Grant's love interest.It such a shame that the movie runs just a little over an hour and has obviously been cut to shreds by a crazed studio editor somewhere, because there is/was an 80 minute print of this movie available at one time or another. So my 'amazing quest' is now to hunt down this elusive version if it still exists which sadly I doubt, as Empire Film Studios were never a major player in British movie making before or after the war. It's a genuine possibility that the original 80 minute print was destroyed in the blitz with only the 61 minute USA version still in existence. who knows?.Enjoy!!!
MARIO GAUCI Following Cary Grant's star-making supporting turn alongside Katharine Hepburn in SYLVIA SCARLETT (1935), he returned to his native land – England – for this one film (based on a popular play that had already been adapted for the screen as a Silent in 1920), and which makes for curious viewing even after all these years.Grant is always worth watching, and he's fresh and appealing in this harmless but dated Capraesque comedy – a wealthy young man is bored by his lifestyle and places a bet with a celebrated doctor that he can earn his living for a year – but, as was the case with the majority of British films at the time, technical quality is lacking when compared to the more polished Hollywood product.Interestingly, the star's role – where Grant is forced to deceive the leading lady, whom he loves – would be expounded upon in subsequent films; here, however, the narrative is allowed to turn maudlin towards the end…and, in any case, the version I watched (under the misleading U.S. moniker, THE AMAZING ADVENTURE) has been trimmed to a little over an hour from the original length of 80 minutes!
jpickerel As stated before me, this is a story that's been done before, most notably "Sullivan's Travels", made a few years hence. A rich young man takes a bet that he can live on a working man's wages for a year, and ventures forth to prove it. The most notable difference here is Cary Grant in the lead, vs. Joel McCrea. Now, I have nothing against Mr. McCrea. But there is a reason why Cary Grant became a mega star, and Joel McCrea didn't. Comparison of these two films makes the differences quite clear. Grant had a glib, polished presence that somehow translated into believability for most of us, and it shows through, even in this early film. The story is predicable, but not so as to make you want to stop watching. Spend the time, and enjoy the performances of Grant and Mary Brian.
MartinHafer This is an obviously low-budget film from Cary Grant. It seems that most of the stars of the 1940s did a few cheap-o independent films during the 1930s (Bogart and Cagney did a few that I recently reviewed). However, what sets this film apart is that despite its poor quality at times, it's a surprisingly watchable. So, if you ignore one or two flat performances by supporting cast members and sets that are not exactly MGM quality, you'll be rewarded with a decent film. Yes, I'll admit that the plot is just a little bit silly, but because of its charm and brisk pace, it satisfies. Cary plays a rich and lazy guy who finds himself bored with life. When he goes to the doctor, the doc tells him to stop sniveling about his life and DO something productive--get a job and stop being a self-indulgent jerk. Cary takes this as a challenge and decides to make himself over--all for the better. About the only strong negative I felt is that the girl that Cary is destined to marry in the film just seems awfully immature and stupid at the end of the film--I wanted him to find someone better!

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