Reviews

I was drawn to this by its top-rank cast and I was glad that I stayed with it. It sets out its stall in the first 15/20 minutes and it it is one of those 'who do you beleive' type of thrillers. It dips somewhat in the middle (the Kenneth More character is entirely superfluous) but once it reaches the court scenes the satisfactory tying-up of its diverse plot lines is excellent and example of how these things should be done.

I must confess that I had never heard of this until it appeared in this week's TV schedules.

Yet it is a wonderfully cast, plotted, written and acted film. But above all it is both funny and true-to-life. One of the best I've seen in a long time and makes me wish I'd seen it at the cinema.

The best sitcom ever.

I said that several years ago and nothing that has happened to it, or to other sitcoms, has changed my view.

The scripts are funny in themselves. Add a perfect ensemble of actors, faultless direction and wonderful background music and one gets, quite simply, the best ever.

Some of the situations are predictable, some slight, some bizarre. But that is life as we know it, and is all lends to the strength of the series. And it is to reasurring to know I cannot be alone, just look at the dates!

Great plot, great script, great dialogue, great actors.

I was prepared to walk out on this one but became engrossed as the story unrolled. Of course it's unreal but that puts that extra need on the actors to perform accurately and plausibly and they really rise to the challenge here.

Look at the cast and crew list and you will see this is a film of the highest pedigree. Sometimes you get the impression that there are several films happening here and the multiplicity of directors may be a clue to the reason of this.

The title may confuse, but yes they are real penguins!

I suspect that this is one of those films that gave the deskbound money men at the studio many nightmares.

Generally I think I like feature-film spin-offs of TV sitcoms more than most viewers. But this is a dire example of the genre.

I suspect the actors were forced into performing in it for contractual reasons beyond their control. As revenge they then conspired to make a comedy that contained no laughs. If this was the case they were successful.

A difficult story but translated to film almost perfectly.

It is not easy to meet the expectations of thousands of readers of these popular adolescent novels once they have grown up. But this is an excellent try.

Spoilt to a certain extent my unspectacular casting of the children, but Ronald Fraser more than compensates!

Needless to say for a UK film of the period the lighting etc. is professional to the extreme.

One of the best children's animations of all time. As with so many of Postgate and Firmin's work an example of how these things ought to be done.

The plots are trivial and very little happens in any episode. But isn't that just what childhood is like - or should be?

Watched it again yesterday (01.01.01) and I am amazed that none of it has dated. It's over 32 years old yet - even after several viewings - still comes over as fresh as when I first saw it.

I know I was watching the remastered and remixed version; if you've not seen it then seek it out!

One of the best stage-to-film adaptions ever.

Made in black-and-white it captures the futility and claustrophobia of life in the trenches in World War One like no other film. It also gives compelling insights into the British class system.

This is a 'must see' film for all genuine students of the medium.