Displaying items by tag: eric sykes

TOMMY THE TOREADOR

UK, 1959, 90 minutes, Colour.

Tommy Steele, Janet Munro, Sidney James, Bernard Cribbins, Noel Purcell, Ferdy Maine, Kenneth Williams, Eric Sykes, Francis De Wolff, Warren Mitchell.

Directed by John Paddy Carstairs.

A piece of light, very light, entertainment from the UK in the spirit of the late 1950s. It was a star vehicle for Tommy Steele, emerging in the UK as a rock ‘n’ roll star, to rival Elvis Presley. However, he moved into light music entertainment, more a rival to Cliff Richard. This is his second film. In the later 1960s he was have success in The Happiest Millionaire, unions Rainbow, Where’s Charlie and, particularly, Half a Sixpence.

This is a colourful story of a sailor stranded in Spain, all kinds of problems, mistaken identity, accidentally saving a bullfighter, commandeered into being a toreador. There are all kinds of Mac nations about fighters and bulls, the main bullfighter arrested and imprisoned, his agent, Ferdy Maine, trying to get him out. And, rather unbelievable with Spanish accented English, Sid James and Bernard Cribbins as to entrepreneurs missing the bullfighter in jail, build up Tommy to take his place. And this is enhanced by Tommy’s accidental saving mother bullfighter, the son of the proprietor of the hotel where he and the senior, Janet Munro, who is got to know Peter being and are unable to pay! And there is a policeman on his trail.

It is in this film that Tommy Steele sings the very popular song, The Little White bull, joining with children in the performance.

In fact, the film was also very much a musical, quite a number of numbers, and, this film coming just before the Carry on series, it is a surprise to see Sid James and Bernard Cribbins combining with Tommy Steele in a song and dance routine! Definitely a sequence for Sid James fans. And, the singer has a manager, played by Eric Sykes who is said to have fame and popularity on television. And, in the role of a waiter, bewildered at the hotel, there is Warren Mitchell before his television and film career took off.

Then, all the atmosphere of the bullfight, the arena, the crowds, and Tommy going into all kinds of action, thinking he was with the kindly bull that he encountered, at the fiercest substitute confronting him, heroism, and running away, the various reactions of the crowd – and, of course, a happy ending and wedding bells.

WATCH YOUR STERN

UK, 1960, 90 minutes, Black-and-white.

Kenneth Connor, Eric Barker, Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims, Noel Purcell, Hattie Jacques, Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes, Sid James, David Lodge, Victor Maddern, Ed Devereux.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

Very much a comedy from the British past, especially around 1960. The late 50s saw the beginning of the Carry On franchise, 17 movies and television program as well as documentaries. And, there is the big cast of British comedy actors who continually appeared in the Carry On series.

And the Carry on films were directed by Gerald Thomas. And, he is the director of Watch Your Stern. And several of the Carry On stars appear here, the film as a star vehicle for regular Kenneth Connor, some prominence for Joan Sims, bumptious comedy role again for Hattie Jacques, and a rather more serious cameo for Sid James including having a beard. And one of the pleasures is to see Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan in cameo roles as electricians, Spike Milligan doing an Indian accent – and very popular with The Goon Show during these years. Australian Ed Devereux, working in British films at this time appears as an American!

The film starts momentarily seriously, the launching of an experimental torpedo by the Navy – but, then its getting out of control and boomeranging back to destroy the ship!

The action takes place more or less over the next 24 hours, and a poking fun at some of the Navy personnel and their limitations. (At the same time, the comedy On the Fiddle, with Alfred Lynch and Sean Connery, set during the war, pokes fun at a lot of the ineptitudes in connection with the RAF.)

Eric Barker maintains his seriousness as the less than efficient captain of the ship, relying on his second in command, Leslie Phillips in a typical role. And, on board, is one of the ratings who has a great knowledge of electronics and its vocabulary, Blissworth, Kenneth Connor’s character.

Blissworth seems to be in and out of the captain’s office all the time, but with many mishaps, especially the burning of the main copy of the plans for the torpedo. The only other copy is with the American visitor – and Blissworth having to chase him on a bicycle, accidentally knocking over the Admiral, not allowed to enter the train because of security reasons…

The main part of the film is having Blissworth do two impersonations of an expert being interviewed by the Admiral. The first is as a Scottish scientist, with a beard, care of some of the facial hair taken from Sid James’ character. And, fortunately, the Captain’s sister, played nicely by Joan Sims, is preparing the Navy concert and is able to do make up and costuming.

Noel Purcell is the blustering Admiral, suspicious of the Scottish expert (who looks like the later Scots actor, Brian Cox). Lots of comedy in his explanations. But, then it appears that the expert they were expecting is actually woman, Hattie Jacques. Which means that Blissworth has to be made up as a woman, the admiral very flirtatious.

So, how could it possibly end? In fact with Blissworth making a comment about the technology and the expert appreciating his advice, their working together, and a finale with the torpedo being fired again… and.

This is more straightforward comedy, especially compared with the satire and innuendo of the Carry On series – and, while this series was popular, this kind of comedy had a wider appeal.