This nonsense actually made me laugh: not an easy task! It's a film version of a massively successful stage comedy from the 1920s which spurred another 11 sequels. You'll be amazed that something this old can be this funny.
Those Brian Rix farces such as DON'T JUST LIE THERE and even today's THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG can probably trace their comedy roots back to this, the grand-daddy on all those farces. This has to be one of the silliest films I've ever seen. The characters are all purposely absurd stereotypes (who appeared in all the sequels too) but since this team had been doing this same act for 15 years, they knew exactly how to make us laugh.
Ralph Lynn is perfect as the loveable upper class twit, complete with monocal and silly accent. He actually reminded me of Richard Murdoch... you know, Stinker Murdoch? Or Number 2 in the fantastic radio comedy, THE MEN FROM THE MINISTRY? If you have any idea whom I'm talking about then this is your film! Even if you've no idea who I'm talking about, you'll know Will Hay. This isn't (if you can believe it) as sophisticated as a Will Hay picture but it's that kind of humour. It's genuinely funny.
The only down side is that the leader of this group of nutters was Tom Walls (who in this plays the drunk, hen-pecked father in law) who certainly was talented but also a pretty lousy film director. Apparently he drove Michael Balcon, who was running Gaumont-British at the time, mad with his 'amateurish' approach to film making but because his plays were so massive, he wasn't going to argue with him (too much). The direction is indeed pretty dire - if this was any other picture, it might matter but here it's just not important.
Those Brian Rix farces such as DON'T JUST LIE THERE and even today's THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG can probably trace their comedy roots back to this, the grand-daddy on all those farces. This has to be one of the silliest films I've ever seen. The characters are all purposely absurd stereotypes (who appeared in all the sequels too) but since this team had been doing this same act for 15 years, they knew exactly how to make us laugh.
Ralph Lynn is perfect as the loveable upper class twit, complete with monocal and silly accent. He actually reminded me of Richard Murdoch... you know, Stinker Murdoch? Or Number 2 in the fantastic radio comedy, THE MEN FROM THE MINISTRY? If you have any idea whom I'm talking about then this is your film! Even if you've no idea who I'm talking about, you'll know Will Hay. This isn't (if you can believe it) as sophisticated as a Will Hay picture but it's that kind of humour. It's genuinely funny.
The only down side is that the leader of this group of nutters was Tom Walls (who in this plays the drunk, hen-pecked father in law) who certainly was talented but also a pretty lousy film director. Apparently he drove Michael Balcon, who was running Gaumont-British at the time, mad with his 'amateurish' approach to film making but because his plays were so massive, he wasn't going to argue with him (too much). The direction is indeed pretty dire - if this was any other picture, it might matter but here it's just not important.