British comedies

[MikeBSG]

What are your favorite British comic films?

 

I like most of the usual Ealing suspects: Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, and Man in the White Suit. I've never warmed to The Ladykillers, and Whiskey Galore made me laugh only once.

 

As for non-Ealing comedies, Heavens Above with Peter Sellers really struck me as well done. I'm All Right, Jack was also good. Smallest Show on Earth was quite charming, and Belles of St. Trinian's took me by surprise and made me laugh.

[reverendmdg]

All the Python films, the hard to find "Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer", "The Missionary", "A Private Function", "Jabberwocky", "Time Bandits", "Brazil", "Erik The Viking", "Privates On Parade", and "Yellowbeard".

[MikeBSG]

I had forgotten about "A Private Function." That was very funny. I think that the art theater I saw it at was giving away plastic pig snouts to promote the movie.

 

"The Missionary" was also very good. It's a shame Michael Palin hasn't made more films.

[movieman1957]

I think Palin's been having way too much fun making those travel documentaries for BBC.

[Terrence]

One of my favorite British comedies is "The Captain's Paradise" with Alec Guiness and Yvonne DeCarlo. A very funny film. Unfortunately, it's not shown on TV very often.

 

Terrence.

[MikeBSG]

Just watched "Passport to Pimlico" on DVD last night.

 

It starts slowly, but once the premise kicks in (a deed proves that a London neighborhood is not legally British soil), the movie becomes quite funny and fascinating. However, it is how the film plays out the consequences of the idea that kept me hooked. I didn't much care about the characters, which, I guess, is why this Ealing film hasn't ever been as popular in America as the Alec Guiness ones.

[ken123]

School for Scoundrels and An Inspector Calls starring Alistair Sim, it is also very much a morality play.

[MikeBSG]

I watched "Carlton-Brown of the F. O." and had a blast. It is a Boulting Brothers satire on British diplomacy, aparently akin to "I'm All Right, Jack" and "Heavens Above."

 

It was very clever, and the crisis seemed a bit like a mix of Cyprus and Cuba. The cast was very capable, and Raymond Huntley gave an awful cliche ridden speech as if it were pearls of wisdom from on high. (The film had a scathing view of the U. N. by the way.) A must for all Terry-Thomas fans.

[dfordoom]

I love the idea of The Mouse That Roared. Unfortunately it suffers from the problem that most Peter Sellers movies suffer from - Peter Sellers. He tries so hard, and he just isn't funny.

[SueSueApplegate]

True. I enjoy Sellers when I'm in the mood, but sometimes it's obvious he's

trying too hard.

 

I'm an Ealing fan and was lucky enough to go to the UK last summer. The first

time I viewed The Ladykillers

[SueSueApplegate]

Sorry. Didn't wind it up. The kitty jumped on the boards.

 

The first time I viewed The Ladykillers was the first time I fell in love

with Guinness on the screen. I have the boxed set that also has

the Lavender Hill Mob.Has anyone read his autobiographies?

Simply charming, like the man himself.

 

I also enjoyed The Ruling Class with Peter O'Toole.

[Cinemascope]

Um, maybe Peter Sellers is just an acquired taste? I found the movie to be quite amusing, if perhaps not quite laugh-out-loud funny.

[michaelryan]

Try "Too Many Crooks' ' Privates Progress" and the Doctor series especially "Doctor at Sea" with Dirk Bogarde James Robertson Justice and Brigitte Bardot

[Robindra]

What about Peter Sellers in Two Way Stretch? I've always felt that this film was almost stolen from him by Lionel Jeffries as the prison warder Sidney Crout, but it really is very funny.

[Film_Fatale]

Anyone else watching/recording *Heavens Above!* ?

[Bronxgirl48]

Didn't check the schedule yesterday, darn it, so I missed HEAVENS ABOVE! for viewing or recording.

 

Did you enjoy it?

[Film_Fatale]

I did record it but haven't watched it yet. I think the last Ealing comedy I watched was *I'm All Right, Jack* a while back. However, *Heavens Above!* is available on DVD, so you should be able to rent it if you don't want to wait till the next TCM showing.

[WeNoSpeak]

Chiming in...

 

The Butcher Boy and Shirley Valentine

[Bronxgirl48]

Thanks!

[Film_Fatale]

> {quote:title=WeNoSpeak wrote:}{quote}

> Chiming in...

>

> The Butcher Boy and Shirley Valentine

 

Wouldn't you say *The Butcher Boy* is more of a dramedy, maybe?

[WeNoSpeak]

Yes,

 

I should have mentioned that The Butcher Boy, while its presented as a comedy, is definitely not for the average viewer. The humor is as one friend said "sick - that's just sick". We're still friends, but I doubt she'll watch The Butcher Boy again.

[Film_Fatale]

As I recall, I don't think it struck me as an easy movie to watch - and I'm a big Neil Jordan fan.

[AngeLsLuv]

Peter Sellers in "Wrong Arm Of The Law".. Too funny..

[Gershwin fan]

I like the Ealing comedies. Kind Hearts and Coronets is funny. Guinness did a wonderful job with all those roles.

[Sgt_Markoff]

I remember one called, "Passport to Pimlico" which very much appealed to me. "The Mouse That Roared", similarly. I found both these plots refreshing. Make you see the world in a new way.

'The Man in the White Suit', 'The LadyKillers', 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' yes, all good.