Displaying items by tag: Derek Nimmo

GO TO BLAZES

UK, 1962, 80 minutes, Colour.

Dave King, Robert Morley, Daniel Massey, Dennis Price, Coral Brown, Norman Rossington, Maggie Smith, Myles Malleson, Wilfred Lawson, David Lodge, Finlay Currie, James Hayter, Derek Nimmo, Hugh Lloyd, Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier.

Directed by Michael Truman.

Pleasantly light farcical comedy from the early 60s, very much of British comedy in the 1950s – and indicating the trend to greater farce, innuendo, with the style introduced by the Carry on series.

This is the story of a smash and grab trio, smashing the window of a jewellery store and grabbing, the getaway car – but, unfortunately, caught by the police at a roadblock. Jail time. Then the realisation that the best getaway that everybody stops for is a fire engine! So, jail, it again and examining fire engines (with an enthusiastic Miles Malleson), they find an old wreck, steal a good fire engine, inserting the wreck and setting the place ablaze.

Most of the film is about the attempt to smash and grab, the elegant Daniel Massey being prevented a number of times, the other two, Dave King and Norman Rossington, going round and round with their fire engine, caught by a rather idiotic Derek Nimmo because of the flood in his shop, their realising they need to do some training and finding a disgraced fire chief, Dennis Price, who will train them.

In the meantime, Daniel Massey has made a fool of himself fleeing and entering into a fashion show at a highbrow shop, managed by Coral Browne, and with a French consultant, Maggie Smith very early role (and, at one stage, the French accent dropping to a blimey English accent when surprised). And, the realisation that the fashion store is next to a bank. They consult an expert on fire insurance, setting fires, all kinds of skills – and, very enjoyably, played by Robert Morley in full bombast.

It almost works. But, in the escape, they are recognised by the two ladies and the initial policeman pursuing goes in chase, the firemen kindly stopping to help some little girls with their treehouse doll rescue, trees then on fire, the police – and, disaster because they had filled their water hose with all the bank notes from the robbery!

On their way back to jail, that pass the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and realise that this is a car that everybody stops for!

There are a lot of popular names from British films in the cast – but, for most of them, their appearances last only a minute or two!

MR TEN PER CENT

UK, 1967, 84 minutes, Colour.

Charlie Drake, Derek Nimmo, Wanda Ventham, John Le Mesurier, Anthony Nichols, Noel Dyson, John Laurie, George Baker, Una Stubbs.

Directed by Peter Graham Scott.

Dear oh dear!

The diminutive comedian, Charlie Drake, was very popular on British television in the 1960s. He also made four films, slight comedies, not particularly well received by critics or the public, The Cracksman being the most successful.

This, his final starring role, is for diehards only, his complete fans. Yet he continued to have a successful career on television and was appearing in supporting roles in various films for the next 30 years.

In retrospect, many audiences will find his performance highly contrived, often very silly, trying too hard.

The film opens with his explaining Swan Lake while working on a building site, pairing with a policeman. Later, with an eye on the portrait of Oscar Wilde, he fancies himself as a dramatist, posh accent though mixing vocabulary, and later will fancy himself advising on how he his play should be produced. But, the play is highly dramatic, comes across as farcical. The unscrupulous entrepreneur, played by John Le Mesurier, decides to profit by investing in a commercial failure. His chosen director  is played by Derek Nimmo, himself a very eccentric performer (most successful in television’s Oh Brother).

The would-be playwright interferes with the rehearsals, is taken in by a financier, does not realise how he is being used – but, eventually, ousted from the play, tries to sabotage the London performance, audiences flocking to see and laugh at the farcical play.

Only Charlie Drake’s fans will be persuaded by the last sequence, where the audience realises that he is sincere, hopeful, and applauds him.

The same theme was far more successfully handled by expert Mel Brooks the following year with his comedy classic, The Producers, with Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder (as well as the musical version in the 2000s with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick) – and we all remember the extraordinary song and dance routine, Springtime with Hitler!