Mops
Because the film Born Lucky (1932) is on the "Missing, believed
lost" list we might never get to see it.
I found a copy of the book that it was based on and thought that
the story from that would give us a fair idea what it was about.
As it was a "quota quickie" they wouldn't have done very much work
on the script and it is the sort of story that could be turned
into a film. They did make it into a musical though so we can
play "guess where the songs were" like with The Elusive Pimpernel.
Mops
by Oliver Sandys
Pseudonym for Marguerite Florence Barclay, afterwards Evans,
aka Marguerite Caradoc Evans
London: Hurts & Blackett (1928)
Source novel for Born Lucky (1932)
Precis of the story by
Steve Crook
Mops is an orphan. She is called "Mops" because of her dramatic
mop of curly hair. A happy girl, she lives with her guardian
"Turnips" in the East End of London. He is named Turnips because
he earned a few extra pennies by carving flowers from vegetables
and his favourite for this was the turnip.
Turnips works as the limelight man at the local variety hall
where Mops does a turn. She is very popular with the crowd and
they earned enough to live on. But Mops is pretty and also draws
the lecherous attention of the theatre manager. When he tries
to force himself upon her she fights him off. Turnips hears and
gave the manager a good thumping. For that they both got the
sack of course.
With no income they couldn't pay the rent on their small house
and were turned out. They take to the road, heading for Kent.
Like all East Enders they know that there is seasonal work
to be found in the hop fields and orchards of Kent. But it's
hard to get there when they have to walk all the way. Too proud
to beg they get by on a few crusts and some berries from hedgerows.
Turnips tries to sell his "flowers" a few times but has no luck.
Things are getting desperate but Mops remains cheerful, always
maintaining that something will turn up and that "There's a good
time coming!" [a cue for a song if ever I heard one]
While Turnips is trying to sell his flowers, Mops meets another
"Gentleman of the road" (aka a tramp) and despite her circumstances
he shares the few berries she has with him. This other man is
younger than Turnips, quite good looking but his hands don't look
like they have done much hard work. He is a bit downhearted but
Mops soon cheers him up.
Turnips tries to buy a stale loaf of bread from the baker at the
end of the day. The baker demands a penny but Turnips only has
a ha'penny. An argument and a fight develops [Turnips should watch
that temper] and Turnips is arrested.
Turnips is convicted to "three months hard" (hard labour) by a harsh
magistrate that hates all tramps. Mops makes a fuss and is carried
from the court.
A sympathetic policeman lets Mops in to see him in the Police
cell. Turnips tells Mops that she should go to see a charitable lady
he has heard of who runs St. Jude's Training Centre for Destitute Girls
and will find Mops a position "in service". Mops is sure she will
end up as a lady in waiting at Buckingham Palace.
Lady Chard, widow of Sir Angus Chard the pickle millionaire, is
looking for a new kitchen maid and interviews Mops at St. Judes.
Lady Chard is put off by Mops unruly curls and good looks (kitchen
maids should be plain) but is impressed by her willingness to
work hard. Mops just wants to work and work so that she doesn't
have time to think about Turnips breaking rocks in prison.
So Mops is employed. As the kitchen maid she is the most junior
member of the household staff and has to put up with some bullying
from the others, particularly the Cook. But she lets that wash
over her like water off a duck's back. She makes some friends
amongst the other staff, particularly another maid called Patty.
Patty is due to leave soon and already has her next job lined
up so doesn't need any references. Because of this she can be
cheeky to the Cook and defend Mops. Patty also likes to read
romantic novels, particularly those written by Frank Dale.
Amongst the jobs Mops is given is the task of walking her ladyship's
small dog every morning. Most people just find it a yapping,
snapping nuisance but Mops manages to make friends with it.
One morning, when Mops is alone in the kitchen, having got up before
everyone else to light the fires as usual, there is a knock on the
door. It is the young tramp they met on the road. Mops gives
him something to eat. They chat and Mops says how he only needs
one break, like she got at St. Judes, and he'll be back on his feet.
But he can't go for a job interview in the tramp's clothes he
is wearing. So Mops steals a suit of clothes from one of the
guests at the house, Sir Bernard Harriman the theatrical impresario.
The young man promises to bring them back that evening and then
goes on his way.
We follow him down the road and ... he gets into a smart car and
tells the chauffeur to take him home. It turns out he is Frank Dale
and was going "undercover" as a tramp to research his next book.
As well as writing slushy romantic fiction he also writes
social polemics. [There's a touch of the Charles Dickens about him]
Back at Dale's house we meet his fiancée. A beautiful lass, but
very materialistic. Dale is thinking about his next book. The
fiancée is thinking about how much money he will make from it.
Meanwhile, at Lady Chard's, the servants are talking about the
servants ball. They tease Mops because she has nobody to take her.
Then Sir Bernard's manservant comes in. Sir Bernard wanted the suit
that Mops "borrowed" and will be sacked if it isn't found.
Mops is about to confess all when there's a knock on the back door.
Yes it's "the young tramp" with the suit - all is saved. He's now
quite smartly dressed and tells Mops that he has a good job
working for Mr Frank Dale the writer. Mops rushes upstairs to
replace the suit but is trapped in Sir Bernard's rooms. She is
discovered and confesses all to sir Bernard. He is impressed with
her honesty and her appearance and decides not to punish his manservant.
Mops and Frank start "walking out" together in whatever spare time they
can find. While they are talking Mops tells him about the ball. He
had already been impressed with her generosity the first time they
met, even more so the second time. So he asks he if he can escort her
to the ball. But Mops has nothing to wear. A parcel arrives from her
escort and it's a lovely ball gown. Mops is the belle of the ball and its
all a great success. Frank Dale manages to stay incognito even
though he has written a play that has been sent to Sir Bernard.
The night after the ball, Mops & Patty go to their bedroom. Patty
wants to read her latest romance (by Frank Dale of course). Mops
falls asleep only to be woken by Patty's screams. She had fallen
asleep and the candle had fallen and set the curtains and Patty's
nightdress on fire. Mops does her best to put out the flames,
on Patty's nightdress at least. The rest are too much for her
and they make their escape raising the alarm. The dog is heard
in Lady Chard's room and despite the flames, Mops rushes back
in and saves it.
But she's badly burned and is taken to hospital for a few days.
When she's on the mend she hears that Patty was burnt too badly
and died. The Cook comes to see her and realises what a good girl
Mops really is. But Lady Chard needs someone to blame for the
fire. Mops won't say it was Patty's fault so takes the full
blame herself and is dismissed. [Nasty Lady Chard]
Mops walks down the road to see her friend who works for Frank
Dale. When she gets there Frank is talking to Sir Bernard about
the new play. The play is about tramps and they are looking for
someone to play the main role when Mops knock on the door.
All is explained, Frank admits who he really is and they offer
Mops the lead role - it was based on her so she'd be perfect.
Through rehearsals and onto the opening night. Mops and the
play are a huge success. It'll run and run. Mops is the talk
of the town, everybody wants to meet her. She now has lots of
money and her own flat and maid. She and Frank are great friends
but Mops is aware of the fiancée.
Frank goes abroad for a while. Mops is invited to a party at the
London house of Lady Chard. Lady Chard has never seen the play
and doesn't know who this new star performer really is, she just
wants her at her party. Mops soon manages to put Lady Chard in
her place. At the party Mops allows herself to be chatted up
by a young rogue knowing well that he is the son of the magistrate
that sent Turnips to jail.
The magistrate's son takes Mops for a drive but she manages to fight
him off until he proposes marriage. He pretends that the
car has broken down and they'll have to stay the night. Mops sends
him to a nearby house to see if there's anyone there, switches
the petrol back on (she'd seen him switch it off) & drives away.
She keeps him at a distance to make him put an announcement of their
engagement in the newspaper. His father sees it & is outraged.
Sure that "this actress girl" is just a gold-digger he rushes
up to town to buy her off. Mops demands a strangely exact amount
and then tells the magistrate who she is and her story. The final
blow is that she will use the money to buy a house near his and
turn it into a hostel for tramps!
Frank comes back from his holidays, the grasping fiancée has married
someone else. Frank proposes, Mops accepts, Turnips finishes his
spell in jail and they all live happily ever after.
All in all, quite a good story, almost worthy of the great Emeric
Pressburger himself. A few good backward references to connect to earlier
events. A few moral lessons, a bit of high drama, a nice bit of
unselfish behaviour and a happy ending.
I can see why it would appeal to a film-maker :)
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