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The Labours of Hercules Smith

1936 , Wheathampstead (Hertfordshire)

Cat no. 212601

A comedy by amateur filmmaker and cinema historian H.A.V. Bulleid.

Having slept the night beside a haystack, hapless travelling salesman Hercules Smith (Elmer Quane) awakes with his trusty canine companion Snapjack (Clovis Bige). Approaching a nearby house, past a man affixing a 'No Hawkers' sign to the gate, Hercules unsuccessfully attempts to sell a vacuum cleaner to the lady of the house, but manages to secure a position as a general hand. But each of his tasks end miserably with a series of unfortunate incidents involving cars, bees and unruly children. To make matters worse, Hercules is mocked at every turn by an elderly lady, who hands him instruction booklets and pamphlets for every occasion, from a copy of the highway code to a beekeeping manual and a guide to playing checkers. Fed up, Hercules retires to the back of the house for tea, but is constantly interrupted by the family's petulant cook, who deals out a similarly rough treatment to a prospective kitchenhand, Krimhild Colquhoun (Joan Bulleid). Setting a booby trap for the cook, the pair run off arm in arm, collecting their paycheques at the front door. Sitting in a field, a series of gags leads to an embrace, as the elderly lady delivers a final pamphlet: 'Advice for Young Mothers'.

Keywords

Salesmen

Intertitles

- Woodhouse Pictures present Elmer Quane and Clovis Bige in 'The Labours of Hercules Smith'. Mackerye End. August 1936. [List of credits] - Breakfast -- A roll, - on the grass. - "Think you're pretty smart, don't you?" - "No, Madam: Clever, ingenious, talented, but NOT smart." - "Come and use your talents." - "Relax..." - Krimhild Colquhoun, a cookery expert. - "You may find my cook a little touchy..." - "My love must be a real, strong he-man." - "My name is Hercules Smith." - "Could you...cook...for three--??" - The End. Wood House Pictures. 1936 Production.

Background Information

O.V.S. Bulleid, who appears in the film as Major Moon-Wiffle, is noted railway engineer Oliver Bulleid, who is also H.A.V. Bulleid's father. Similarly, Marjorie Bulleid (nee Ivatt), who plays Mrs Moon-Wiffle, is H.A.V.'s mother and wife of Oliver.

  • Hercules Smith Elmer Quane (aka H.A.V. Bulleid)

  • Snapjack Clovis Bige

  • Mrs. Moon-Wiffle Marjorie Bulleid

  • Krimhild Colquhoun Joan Bulleid

  • Lavinia La Roche Margaret Ivatt

  • Jane Custard-Apple Gabrielle Campbell

  • Major Moon-Wiffle O.V.S. (Oliver) Bulleid

  • Jessica F. Vanderkelen

  • Jim Michael Bulleid

  • Theo Hugh Bulleid

  • Nellie Helen Jones

  • George Will Almond

  • Typewriter Pippin

Manifestations

The Labours of Hercules Smith

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