Old Mother Riley in Business

Old Mother Riley in Business follows Arthur Lucan's drag character, Old Mother Riley, as she sets up a new enterprise to help support herself and her household. The film keeps things light, piling on mishaps, disguises, and quick-fire gags as Mother Riley tries to run her venture while managing nosy neighbors, bemused officials, and her long-suffering daughter Kitty, played by Kitty McShane. Everyday problems get treated as opportunities for physical comedy, and the plot moves briskly from one comedic set piece to the next, with misunderstandings and practical jokes driving the action rather than any serious stakes or surprises.

Released in 1941, the film was directed by John Baxter and written by Roger Clegg, Barbara K. Emary, and Geoffrey Orme. Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane headline the cast, continuing a popular screen partnership.

Detailed box office figures aren't readily available, and this entry mostly circulated in British cinemas as part of the Old Mother Riley series. It was likely marketed to regular cinema audiences seeking familiar comic entertainment during the early 1940s, rather than as a prestige release.

Old Mother Riley became one of British cinema's enduring music hall characters, and films like this helped cement that status. The persona influenced later British comedy traditions, especially the practice of male actors performing female comic roles, and the character remained recognizable to audiences well beyond the film's initial run.

Critics tend to view films in the series as light, broad comedies aimed at popular tastes rather than critical acclaim. The themes here are domestic resourcefulness, social mishap, and performative identity, with an emphasis on slapstick and timing. If you enjoy vintage British clowning and character-driven farce, this movie offers a straightforward example of that style.