This Happy Breed and product placement

[paul kersey]

Last night, I watched "This Happy Breed" on C4. I know that it may be considered "Corny" today but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
What struck me early on in the film, was the possible use of product placement in the scene where Robert Newton invites Stanley Holloway in for a drink. He offers him "a drop of Johnny Walker or some Wincarnis" rather than a drop of Scotch or some tonic wine. Is it possible that producer Noel Coward was actually paid to mention these famous brand names? it certainly surprised me as the use of brand names is not something that I have noticed in films of that age before.

[Gerald Lovell]

Johnnie Walker bottles with their distinctive sloping label can be seen in countess British films, but it's not usually referred to by name.

I seem to recall that in one of the Doctor films, James Robertson Justice refers to a whisky brand, possibly Glenfiddich, more than once.

[Elaine]

Everytime I watch This Happy Breed, I marvel at the fantastic colour. Shame I didn't get to watch it yesterday on tv, I was out voted and the channel quickly flipped over onto another.

[Nimuae]

I really love that film, it is so down to earth and not over played by the cast. A little gem !

[smudge]

In Carry On Again Doctor, Gladstone Screwer (Sid James) has a whole cupboard full of Johnny Walker - it was the currency in the Beatific Isles...

As Gerald said above, Johnnie Walker WAS the whisky of choice in British films for many a year. I read somewhere that it was mostly the black labelled bottles, which were the ones meant for export. Must have made for some fun wrap parties, having such a good connection with that particular brand!

Smudge

[Mark O]

In the film 'Peeping Tom' a bottle of Johnnie Walker is seen and used quite prominently by Mrs Stephens who is alcoholic, when her daughter Helen talks about neighbour Mark to her mother she says 'he has a quality', Mr Stephens then says 'I wish this did' referring to the whiskey she's drinking, I did wonder if the whiskey manufacturers were ever aware of this negativity about their product, after all Johnnie Walker is still produced.

[Steve Crook]

Johnnie Walker bottles with their distinctive sloping label can be seen in countess British films, but it's not usually referred to by name.

That's more natural than what the BBC used to do, blacking out the label with a marker pen but in a way so that you could still tell what the product was

Steve

[Richard_in_wales]

I watched it and enjoyed it but... having not seen the film for years I found the regional accents really badly done especially Celia Johnson's, sort of posh folk trying to talk "cock in ee."

Won't stop me watching it again in a few years though DV.

[CaptainWaggett]

One thing I find fascinating about this film is how the economics of the middle classes in London have changed. In 1920 Robert Newton has three teenage children (I think they're meant to be school age at the start of the film), a wife, a mother-in-law (with a small pension ?) and a sister (does she work?) all living with with him on his salary as the manager of a branch travel agency which one assumes isn't more than the equivalent of £30,000 or so, perhaps with commission. Try running that sort of household in Clapham (they must have a minimum of four bedrooms, even if the two single woman share a room) on that salary nowadays

[Steve Crook]

One thing I find fascinating about this film is how the economics of the middle classes in London have changed. In 1920 Robert Newton has three teenage children (I think they're meant to be school age at the start of the film), a wife, a mother-in-law (with a small pension ?) and a sister (does she work?) all living with with him on his salary as the manager of a branch travel agency which one assumes isn't more than the equivalent of £30,000 or so, perhaps with commission. Try running that sort of household in Clapham (they must have a minimum of four bedrooms, even if the two single woman share a room) on that salary nowadays

I always like the number of supposedly middle class people where the man (only the man works) is in an average job but they still live in a very big house and have a maid to help out around the home.

It must have been tough living in the imaginary world of a British film in the early part of the 20th century

Steve