NO LADY

GB
1931
1hr 10mins
Dir: Lupino Lane
Starring: Lupino Lane and Lola Hunt

A mild-mannered man on holiday in Blackpool with his family is mistaken for an international criminal

No Lady is a 1931 early talkie featuring Lupino Lane (father of Ida Lupino, actress and film director in the 40s and 50s). It is largely music-hall slapstick and still very much in the silent era in both story and acting. Today, it makes for a rather excruciating 70 minutes but it was popular enough at the time for it to be re-released in 1943. While possibly originally intended to top the bill, it was released as a second feature and is classified as a quota quickie. The family’s journey to Blackpool shows them boarding LMS third class coaching stock at an unknown station, before a shot of the wheels of a passing train depicts the actual journey. The arrival scene features a shot of coaching stock arriving into Blackpool Central station behind an unidentified tank engine. The scenes at Blackpool feature many trams, but the majority appear in the background, either largely obscured or as reflections in shop windows. However, we do get a couple of decent shots of early Blackpool Corporation ‘Standard’ Trams and rare glimpses of an open top ‘toastrack’ and ‘Dreadnought’ tram.

A train of LMS 3rd class coaching stock departs from an as yet unidentified station
With the tower rising majestically behind, an unidentified tank locomotive pulls into Blackpool Central station. This is probably the station pilot bringing empty stock into the station from the nearby carriage sidings.
There are in fact two trams in this shot. The people in the foreground are getting ready to board an open top ‘toastrack’ on one of the popular circular summer tours that ran between the wars. The double-deck tram behind appears to be a ‘Standard’ car in near original condition.
Lupino Lane looking relaxed on Blackpool Pier. In the background, a double deck tram can be seen running along the prom immediately to the left of the weighing machine dial.
This comedy scene uses an open topped, double deck bogie tram without canopies or vestibules, otherwise known as a ‘Dreadnought’ car.
These ‘Dreadnoughts’ were built by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company which, as its name suggested, was chiefly known for its railway products. However, the company was also the first commercial builder of electric tramcars in Britain.