Brothers in Law

"By the same team that made Private's Progress"

1957 1h 34m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 10

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Roger Thursby is an overly keen, newly-qualified barrister who rubs his fellow barristers up the wrong way. When he is thrown in at the deep-end, with a particularly hot-tempered judge and tricky case, Thursby learns how to prove himself not only to the judge and fellow barristers but also to the public gallery.

“By the same team that made Private's Progress”

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Cast

Richard Attenborough
Henry Marshall
Ian Carmichael
Roger Thursby
Terry-Thomas
Alfred Green
Jill Adams
Sally Smith
Miles Malleson
Kendall Grimes Q.C.
Raymond Huntley
Tatlock Q.C.
Eric Barker
Alec Blair
Nicholas Parsons
Charles Poole

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Roy Boulting
Writers: Roy Boulting, Jeffrey Dell, Frank Harvey
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

69 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Roy Boulting, shot by Mutz Greenbaum. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Anthony Harvey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Richard Attenborough and Ian Carmichael and Terry-Thomas carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "By the same team that made Private's Progress".

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0050214 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roy Boulting directs. Mutz Greenbaum behind the camera. Anthony Harvey cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

169 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Roy Boulting, shot by Mutz Greenbaum. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Editor Anthony Harvey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Richard Attenborough and Ian Carmichael and Terry-Thomas carry the top of the cast.
5Marketing tagline: "By the same team that made Private's Progress".
6IMDB entry: tt0050214 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Mutz Greenbaum
Editing: Anthony Harvey
Makeup / hair: Eric Aylott
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Brothers in Law (1957)

Also by

Roy Boulting

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2018-11-23
★ 8/10
Frightfully sorry old boy! Newly qualified and wet behind the ears barrister Roger Thursby joins his flatmate Henry Marshall as trainee at a London law firm. After a bout of confusion, Thursby finds himself defending a case and is hopelessly out of his depth, where the only thing he wins is the scorn of the judge! Things are further compounded by the fact that both Roger and Henry have designs on pretty Sally Smith who lives on the top floor. But a chance encounter with 17 time offender Alfred Green is going to turn Roger's world upside down. As British as Fish & Chips is Brothers In Law. Starring Richard Attenborough (Henry), Ian Carmichael (Roger), Terry-Thomas (Alfred Green) and brought to us by the supreme talents of Roy and John Boulting, it's a cheeky and charming satire on the British wig wearing legal eagles. The film opens with Shakespeare's quote from Henry VI (Part 2), "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers," from there we follow the sprightly Carmichael as he bumbles his way through a series of court encounters and a bad golf day with Judge Ryman (the irrepressible and elegant John Le Mesurier). Aided by a nice sub-plot that sees Attenborough and Carmichael chase the delectable Jill Adams as Sally Smith, Brothers In Arms is really just unfussy film making. Things further gather a pace once Terry-Thomas arrives on the scene as Alfred Green. With a full head of hair and gap in tooth prominent as usual, the film, and Roger's fortunes, considerably changes. It should be noted, however, that Thomas is only in the film for a very short time, and he doesn't turn up until past the hour mark. So fans of his should not expect a Terry-Thomas vehicle, in fact that the film is included in the Thomas Region 2 Collection Box Set is somewhat perplexing. Other notable British stars such as Eric Barker, Nicholas Parsons, Irene Handl and Leslie Phillips pop up along the way. While Benjamin Frankel's music has that lovely plink plonk comedy feel to really aid the charm on offer. Based on the novel written by Henry Cecil (himself a judge), Brothers In Arms achieves all it sets out to do. 8/10

Production companies