Written by Viv Stanshall who adapted this from an album by 'The Bonzo Dog Do Da Band' where he created the wildly eccentric Sir Henry Rawlinson. He went on to do radio plays of this before his record company got him to make this film. He was supposedly intoxicated for the entire shoot.
One of my favourite actors of all time – Trevor Howard plays the eponymous hero. He lives in a country pile with a dysfunctional group of folk who are equally bizarre – this includes 'Old Scrotum' the wrinkly retainer. He has a ghost of his dead brother, Humbert, who sadly died 'sans trousers' after an extra marital 'roll in the hay'. He takes a mechanical bulldog for walkies at odd times as well as being a bit of a bother during dinner. Sir Henry meanwhile likes to keep his own prisoner of war camp – to indulge his fantasy that World War II is still in full swing and keep alive the detestation of spam.
Alcohol is never far away and he strategically has optics in the most convenient of places i.e. everywhere. In order to travel incognito he 'blacks up' a la minstrels of a by gone era, whilst wearing a tutu and riding a unicycle. We also have the marvellous Patrick Magee (Surgeon Reynolds from 'Zulu') as a disgraced 'Reverend Slodden' and Stanshall himself plays Hubert Rawlinson who likes to fish for barbers in the local lake.
If that is not enough there is also the local ale house – 'The fool and Bladder' where such festivals as 'All Squids Day' are celebrated. It is filmed in sepia but was meant to be in proper black and white, but due to a mishap at the processing laboratory (one hopes not to do with over imbibing) it turned out wrong. This however, makes it even more quaint. To say I loved this is an understatement of the ilk that would be comparable to saying you that were slightly miffed if your house blew up – if you get my drift. This is pure lunacy in the best possible way. Howard plays it perfectly with so many great lines that you need to do several viewings to get the full wealth of what is on offer here. One of the best films ever made and one that has taken me ages to find and recommend to the highest degree.
One of my favourite actors of all time – Trevor Howard plays the eponymous hero. He lives in a country pile with a dysfunctional group of folk who are equally bizarre – this includes 'Old Scrotum' the wrinkly retainer. He has a ghost of his dead brother, Humbert, who sadly died 'sans trousers' after an extra marital 'roll in the hay'. He takes a mechanical bulldog for walkies at odd times as well as being a bit of a bother during dinner. Sir Henry meanwhile likes to keep his own prisoner of war camp – to indulge his fantasy that World War II is still in full swing and keep alive the detestation of spam.
Alcohol is never far away and he strategically has optics in the most convenient of places i.e. everywhere. In order to travel incognito he 'blacks up' a la minstrels of a by gone era, whilst wearing a tutu and riding a unicycle. We also have the marvellous Patrick Magee (Surgeon Reynolds from 'Zulu') as a disgraced 'Reverend Slodden' and Stanshall himself plays Hubert Rawlinson who likes to fish for barbers in the local lake.
If that is not enough there is also the local ale house – 'The fool and Bladder' where such festivals as 'All Squids Day' are celebrated. It is filmed in sepia but was meant to be in proper black and white, but due to a mishap at the processing laboratory (one hopes not to do with over imbibing) it turned out wrong. This however, makes it even more quaint. To say I loved this is an understatement of the ilk that would be comparable to saying you that were slightly miffed if your house blew up – if you get my drift. This is pure lunacy in the best possible way. Howard plays it perfectly with so many great lines that you need to do several viewings to get the full wealth of what is on offer here. One of the best films ever made and one that has taken me ages to find and recommend to the highest degree.