Over the Odds

For the 1918 novel by Arthur Wright, see Over the Odds (novel).

Over the Odds is a 1961 British comedy film directed by Michael Forlong and starring Marjorie Rhodes, Glenn Melvyn, Cyril Smith, Esma Cannon, Thora Hird and Wilfrid Lawson.^[1][2] The screenplay was by Ernest Player and Rex Arundel, based on a play by Arundel. A bookmaker struggles to cope with his two mothers-in-law.^[3] Filmink called it "a cheap independent comedy that made little noise."^[4]

Over the Odds
Directed by	Michael Forlong
Written by	Ernest Player Rex Arundel
Produced by	Alec Snowden
Starring	Frances Cuka Marjorie Rhodes Glenn Melvyn Cyril Smith Esma Cannon
Cinematography	Norman Warwick
Edited by	Reginald Beck
Production company	Jermyn Films
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors
Release date	November 1961 (1961-11)
Running time	65 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Cast

• Marjorie Rhodes as Bridget Stone
• Glenn Melvyn as George Summers
• Cyril Smith as Sam
• Esma Cannon as Alice
• Thora Hird as Mrs Carter
• Wilfrid Lawson as Willie Summers
• Frances Cuka as Hilda Summers
• Gwen Lewis as Mrs Small
• Rex Deering as butcher
• Patsy Rowlands as Marilyn
• Fred Griffiths as fruit vendor
• Leslie Crowther as fishmonger

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A noisy, feeble farce which exploits the old mother-in-law theme twofold, with Marjorie Rhodes as number one, solid and belligerent, and Thora Hird as number two, violently vocal. Glenn Melvyn and Cyril Smith battle with ingenuous, obvious material, but Wilfrid Lawson comes off the best in a characteristic performance as the drunken father."^[5]