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Leap of Faith Reviews

1931
1 hr 17 mins
Comedy
NR

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This delightful British comedy chronicles the endeavors of a group of nuns and priests to save a foundering orphanage from the greedy landlord who wants to raise it and erect an apartment building in its place. In desperation, they decide to have the children put on a show starring all the children and charge locals admission to see it. Their best performer and leader of the show's band is a young trumpeter. Unfortunately, shortly before the first performances, the talented youth gets a split lip while playing soccer and cannot play. The clergy gets into a quandary wondering how they can still put on the show when a mysterious young stranger carrying only a tiny valise and a trumpet case. In need of shelter and a hot meal, he offers to play for the show. He proves to be quite talented and saves the day and ultimately the orphanage before leaving as mysteriously as came. His brief presence leaves the nuns and priests to wonder if he really was just a helpful stranger of the angel Gabriel in disguise.

A charming comedy about a group of priests and nuns who are attempting to raise money for an orphanage that has fallen upon hard times. It was bold for its day as there is an undertone of attraction between Chapman, a priest in charge of the running of the orphanage, and Harvey, the sister who rules the children. The relationships between the religious people are so casual that they refer to each other by their first names (thus, Sister Elizabeth is known as "Betty") causing a scandal in their small town just outside Birmingham. The orphanage is leased by the church and the real estate man who owns the property wants to take it over and build a workers apartment block, but he can't take it over if the orphanage continues to make the small, but difficult, rent payments. In a forerunner of films to come from MGM, they decide to put on a show, charge admission, and use that money to pay their lease. Using all the children in the orphanage as the stars, they stage a show and are prepared to make it happen when their lead trumpet player, Raine, splits a lip playing soccer. Since he is the best musician and leads the small band, there is no way they can make this happen until an itinerant musician happens into the orphanage. This is Hardy and all he carries is a small suitcase and a trumpet case. He's willing to take any kind of work in order to pay for his room and board and they immediately get him to lead the band. What is never answered is if he is the angel Gabriel who has come to save them. The show is a great success; townsfolk from all around the area come in to see it and enough money is raised to keep the orphanage afloat. Ames Hardy was actually a trumpeter with several British bands of the era and this was his only acting role. In a small role as a Blighty version of Shirley Temple, eight-year-old Gunn is outstanding. The title refers to the need to accept the fact that Hardy was, in truth, Gabriel.