'Love Thy Neighbour' had only been on television a year when Hammer Films bought the rights to make it into a movie. As the film adaptions of 'On The Buses' and 'Steptoe & Son' went down well, it made sense to adapt 'Love Thy Neighbour' to the big screen. It was successful but did not do the big business that the previous film adaptions did, mainly due to the fact that the 'Love Thy Neighbour' film largely consisted of gags that were already used in the series, so in effect the public were paying to watch something they'd already seen on television.
After a curious scene at the beginning in which we see a spate of black and white neighbours fighting with each other ( brought on by a fight Eddie and Bill were having ), we are on to the main part of the movie. Joan and Barbie enter a competition held by 'The Gazette' to find the best neighbours, the prize being a luxury Medditeranian cruise. Will Eddie and Bill be able to keep up the pretence of being good friends or will they be rumbled?
A plot from a series one episode in which Eddie and Bill pretend to be on union business whereas really they are going to meet two girls is given a makeover here - instead they go off to see a stripper only later to be caught by Joan and Barbie. Another part ( taken from episode one, series one ) saw Bill posing as an African native ( along with other black workers ) who threatens to cook Eddie alive in a boiler. Eddie then has to make his way home on foot in the buff!
Another integral part of the film sees Eddie's nosey mother ( Patricia Hayes ) establishing a friendly relationship with Bill's father ( Charles Hyatt ). As one can imagine, this gets right up the noses of Eddie and Bill.
There are some fair gags on display here but overall it gives the impression of an outstretched episode rather than a film. The cast are all present and correct, including Tommy Godfrey and Keith Marsh as Arthur and Jacko. Eddie's boss Mr. Grainger appears here although is played by Bill Fraser. On television he was portrayed by Norman Bird. There is a hilarious scene at the end of the film in which Eddie, Joan, Barbie and Bill enjoy a luxury meal aboard their cruise, having won the competition. Joan gets a shock when she discovers that the steward is none other than her brother Cyril ( played by 'Dad's Army' and 'Romany Jones' actor James Beck ), who has just recently gotten married. Eddie gets an ever bigger shock when he finds out that Cyril's bride is none other than Barbie's sister!
Cropping up in supporting roles are Pamela Cundell, Andria Lawrence, Arthur English, Anna Dawson, Michael Sharvell Martin, Damaris Hayman and Melvyn Hayes. Director John Robins later went on to work on a film adaption of another hit Thames show - Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke's 'Man About The House'. Whilst not a horrible film on the whole, the format I feel did not have enough energy in it and as a result I feel I cannot really recommend it to anybody. I would recommend you buy a DVD of the series instead.
Funniest bit - a young woman letting out a scream upon finding a naked Eddie ( save for a tea towel ) hiding in a telephone box. While Eddie makes a run for it, the woman reports this incident to a passing policeman. The policeman then starts to take some details: ''Did you notice anything unusual about him?'' he asks. ''A red stripe!'' replies the woman, ( referring of course to the tea towel Eddie was wearing ), prompting a baffled look from the policeman.
After a curious scene at the beginning in which we see a spate of black and white neighbours fighting with each other ( brought on by a fight Eddie and Bill were having ), we are on to the main part of the movie. Joan and Barbie enter a competition held by 'The Gazette' to find the best neighbours, the prize being a luxury Medditeranian cruise. Will Eddie and Bill be able to keep up the pretence of being good friends or will they be rumbled?
A plot from a series one episode in which Eddie and Bill pretend to be on union business whereas really they are going to meet two girls is given a makeover here - instead they go off to see a stripper only later to be caught by Joan and Barbie. Another part ( taken from episode one, series one ) saw Bill posing as an African native ( along with other black workers ) who threatens to cook Eddie alive in a boiler. Eddie then has to make his way home on foot in the buff!
Another integral part of the film sees Eddie's nosey mother ( Patricia Hayes ) establishing a friendly relationship with Bill's father ( Charles Hyatt ). As one can imagine, this gets right up the noses of Eddie and Bill.
There are some fair gags on display here but overall it gives the impression of an outstretched episode rather than a film. The cast are all present and correct, including Tommy Godfrey and Keith Marsh as Arthur and Jacko. Eddie's boss Mr. Grainger appears here although is played by Bill Fraser. On television he was portrayed by Norman Bird. There is a hilarious scene at the end of the film in which Eddie, Joan, Barbie and Bill enjoy a luxury meal aboard their cruise, having won the competition. Joan gets a shock when she discovers that the steward is none other than her brother Cyril ( played by 'Dad's Army' and 'Romany Jones' actor James Beck ), who has just recently gotten married. Eddie gets an ever bigger shock when he finds out that Cyril's bride is none other than Barbie's sister!
Cropping up in supporting roles are Pamela Cundell, Andria Lawrence, Arthur English, Anna Dawson, Michael Sharvell Martin, Damaris Hayman and Melvyn Hayes. Director John Robins later went on to work on a film adaption of another hit Thames show - Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke's 'Man About The House'. Whilst not a horrible film on the whole, the format I feel did not have enough energy in it and as a result I feel I cannot really recommend it to anybody. I would recommend you buy a DVD of the series instead.
Funniest bit - a young woman letting out a scream upon finding a naked Eddie ( save for a tea towel ) hiding in a telephone box. While Eddie makes a run for it, the woman reports this incident to a passing policeman. The policeman then starts to take some details: ''Did you notice anything unusual about him?'' he asks. ''A red stripe!'' replies the woman, ( referring of course to the tea towel Eddie was wearing ), prompting a baffled look from the policeman.