Showing posts with label Cliff Owen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cliff Owen. Show all posts

30.1.12

the wrong arm of the law (1963)


aka Gentlemenkillers.
"No one knows where we are any more."
The London underworld is up in arms, as their tried and tested methods of robbing people are disrupted when a new gang arrives in town, stealing from them by impersonating the police. Thus Police Inspector Parker (Lionel Jeffries) joins up with gangland boss Pearly Gates' (Peter Sellers) in an attempt to catch these interlopers, and return to the status quo.
A classic comedy, where Lionel Jefferies steals the show as the pompous policeman, no mean feat when he's acting against Peter Sellers.

16.8.11

ooh...you are awful (1972)


"How do I get to look at their tattoo's?"
Charlie Tully (Dick Emery) is a conman who has to find out the combination to a fortune deposited in a Swiss bank. The numbers are written as tattoo's on four women. Complicating matters is Sid Sabbath (Derren Nesbitt) and his gang, who are also after the money.
A classic piece of British comedy, i.e. take a popular TV comedy character, and make a lack-luster film. In this instance they take a stock of Dick Emery's TV characters and weave them into a crime story.

10.8.10

the magnificent two (1967)


AKA What Happened at Campo Grande?
"We were doing quite all right until you opened your big mouth."
Eric and Ernie are two British salesman who go to South America to sell their products. While there they inadvertently become involved in a revolution to oust a brutal dictator, as Eric looks like Torez the rebel leader.
The duo's last attempt at a film career sees the same problems arise as their previous attempts. Where their tv comedy was based on a loose and spontanious flow. Here we have a rigid and constraining script, with none of the charisma charactised in their tv work. Mildly diverting, but nothing earth shattering.

12.12.09

the vengeance of she (1968)

aka She, the Avenger. Ayesha, Daughter of She. Ayesha, the Return of She.
"I can give you time. I can give you immortality."

Carol (Olinka Berova), a mysterious and beautiful woman intrigues Philip (Edward Judd), who follows her when she takes off into the desert, seemingly driven to venture further into the arid zone. Has she been taken over by the troubled spirit of Queen Ayesha and being drawn to the lost city of Kuma, the eternal flame and Killikrates (John Richardson)?

A sequel to Hammer's She, which basicially just switches the sex of the immortal. Once they arrive at the lost city things pick up and we have an entertaining adventure, but unfortunately we have to endure a slow paced thirty minutes of Carol writhing in agony with visions, before the journey starts. This only serves to bog the film down before it really gets going.

1.11.09

that riviera touch (1966)

"...not to mention the two dead bodies!"
"I told you not to mention the two dead bodies!"
A pair of London traffic wardens (Eric Morecmabe and Ernie Wise) decide to take a holiday on the French Riviera. Once there they inadvertantily get caught up in a spot of jewel smuggling. Claudette (Suzanne Lloyd) one of the gang members keeps them occupied and off the scent.
This was Morecambe and Wise's second attempt at cracking the lucrative film market, and whilst the film is ok, it never catches fire; the script effectively stiffling their likable stage characters and the seemingly spontanious banter, that made stars of them on the small screen.