Rising Damp (1980) User Reviews

Denholm saves the day

[matthew-58 · 5/10 · 10 August 2007]

According to dai-tyler from Staffordshire, I am not qualified to comment on this film because I didn't see it the first time round. Well, I'm going to ignore that because I think dai is ignoring the fundamental criticism people are making of this film. We are not saying the television series wasn't brilliant, it was absolutely brilliant. We are not saying the performances of the actors are inadequate, they are certainly anything but. The fact is that this film is an almost complete rehash of the same jokes and scenes that were used in the TV series. I would rather watch the TV series any day. I can only assume from his comments that dai never saw the TV series that spawned the film, because the original vintage was so much better.

Watching the film, I feel rather sorry for the great Leonard Rossiter and Frances de la Tour, as they really deserved more from this script than the same scenes they had played in the TV series. The best thing about the film is Denholm Elliott playing the part Henry McGee played in the TV series, only Elliott gives a more credible performance than McGee. Not for the first time in his acting career, nor the last, Elliott arrives in a supporting role and becomes the best reason to watch.

If you've seen the series, you've seen the movie

[croftwesley · 5/10 · 4 January 2011]

To begin with, I'm a massive fan of Rising Damp on the small screen and I've watched every episode countless times. When I first saw the movie I was quite eager to see all the original cast reunited (except from Richard Beckinsale who died tragically, he was a great actor).

If you are a big fan of the old TV episodes, then I would genuinely find absolutely nothing new here whatsoever. I was watching this movie with my jaw on the floor because I was stunned at how much of the scripts and scenes have been recycled from the TV series! Virtually everything that occurs in this movie is just re-done. I'm only glad that other writers of classic comedies didn't have this way of getting their shows on the big screen. Maybe if the writers thought of an original story instead of repeating old scripts word for word then this could have been so much better. Don't bother.

More Of A Re-Film Than A Film In Its Own Right

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 5 October 2004]

RISING DAMP is a classic comedy which starred Leonard Rossiter as a landlord who rented his flat out to three people : Miss Jones a rather plain woman who Rigsby has the hots for and a couple of students Alan and Philip . It should be pointed out that Philip is black and Rigsby is while not exactly racist rather condescending to anyone different from his little Englander mentality .

As with a great number of successful ITV sit-coms RISING DAMP was made into a feature length movie , though it should be pointed out this seems rather belated since it was made in 1980 with most of the other cinema versions of ITV sitcoms being produced in the early 1970s . It should also be mentioned that in the TV series Alan was played by Richard Beckinsale who died before this movie went into production so his role as Alan is played by Christopher Strauli with the other three regular cast members reprising their roles

No attempt is made to change or modify the strong points of the television series and everybody stays in character mainly because much of the screenplay is directly lifted from the TV series , bits like the draught blowing into Miss Jones ear and the love wood which featured in an episode of the TV series . There is a thin plot featuring a guest called Seymour played by Denholm Elliot which does give the opportunity of showing what a sycophantic snob Rigsby really is and for not changing the formula the film version deserves some credit . Check out the film version of GEORGE AND MILDRED to see what a really bad adaptation looks like

An adequate distillation

[Oct · 2 October 2004]

"Rising Damp" is now generally regarded as the finest sitcom produced by ITV, the BBC's main commercial rival, during its 50 years on air. Granted, that is not a hard title to win. But the claustrophobic saga of a boarding house where a stingy, nervy, clumsily lecherous landlord, two students and a fluttery but oddly alluring spinster play out an endless round-dance of mutual attraction is one of the perennial, timeless joys of British TV.

Like most hit comedies of the 1970s, "Rising Damp" earned a big-screen adaptation. The main cast stayed intact, except that Christopher Strauli subbed for the late Richard Beckinsale. Unfortunately Joe McGrath, a comedy specialist used to altogether broader material (Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, The Goons) directed. Farce is played up at the expense of quieter and subtler pleasures.

McGrath, who helmed "The Magic Christian" and "The Great McGonagall", goes for a quick fire approach which Eric Chappell's screenplay-- like so many of these filmed sitcoms, it smells of three TV episodes scrambled together-- does not inhibit. Feeling one must open up the action and exploit a marginally larger budget, Chappell lets the film slip away too much from the house. To aficionados, even seeing the back garden and the street are a little shocking. However, scenes in pubs and restaurants echo the original, and the chief pleasure, Leonard Rossiter as Rupert Rigsby, is undimmed. Some well-loved schticks, such as Rigsby blowing in Miss Jones's ear after being told it's an erogenous zone, are reprised.

Rossiter broke the rules of modern screen acting. He mugged, twitched, grimaced, muttered semi-audibly and shamelessly hogged the camera, instead of underplaying stone-facedly and letting his confreres share the work. Yet he gets away with it every time, simply because Rigsby is a towering character in the great tradition of British "downer" comedy: the frustrated middle-aged male fantasist who is not quite up to living in the real world. That line began with Will Hay and ran through Hancock, Harold Steptoe, Captain Mainwaring and Basil Fawlty to Rigsby, with Derek Trotter and Victor Meldrew to come.

Guest star Denholm Elliott is a smooth ex-RAF conman after the gorgeous Miss Jones's modest savings. He may seem like another cinematic concession, but he is not unlike Peter Bowles's theatrical charmer of a lodger in the series. Elliott's underplaying is in fitting and masterful contrast to the spluttering sycophantic Rigsby. Don Warrington, the black student "chief's son with ten wives" patronised and envied by Rigsby, is gloriously suave, though victim of a disconcerting plot twist at the end.

This potted version is not the best of its breed, but for condensing Rossiter's tour de force it is worth catching.

Same as series

[beth563 · 6/10 · 18 March 2008]

I just recently heard there was a Rising Damp movie, and as a fan of the series, I was excited. I'm watching it now, and I find it ridiculous. I've already heard these jokes. Besides, the change of set from old, rundown house to a rather nice rundown house takes away from the atmosphere. Rigsby, Philip and Ruth reprise their roles, but watching this movie is like experiencing summer theater of a play after seeing it on Broadway. A sad, pathetic shadow of itself. I think perhaps if I hadn't seen the series, this would be acceptable. Also, I'm a big fan of Richard Beckinsale, and his absence is felt so deeply. Why did they feel the need to completely replace him? At least they slightly changed the character from a medical student to an art student, but Beckinsale's lines were given to him, making it slightly distasteful.

A nightcap Miss Jones....,

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 14 July 2013]

Rigsby manages to scam his lodgers Cooper, an arts student, and Philip, an African jock, making both pay for a room they must share.

However Rigsby's favourite lodger, miss Jones, now flirts with both boys rather than the old man, despite his pitiful attempts to be generous.

She actually prefers an affair with slick veteran Seymour, who is really only interested in her money.....

Plot wise, there is nothing of any relevance to speak of here, but the film is divided into many sub plots, Rigsbys advances on Jones, the two lodgers and there little troubles, and later on Elliott makes an appearance to inject a bit of mystery into the film.

And its as you would expect, seaside postcard humour, Rossiter doing what he does best, being sarcastic and sympathetic at the same time, and chock full of people you recognise from the TV.

Its not the greatest thing ever made, and you can see the jokes coming from a mile off, but around this time in the UK, there was a spate of successful TV sitcoms turned into movies, and the majority of those were pitiful.

Its breezy, throwaway stuff, that is unashamedly un-PC, and watching it, you realise that writers got away with a lot of cultural reference that couldn't happen today.

Adequate but hardly a classic

[trevorwomble · 6/10 · 29 December 2019]

What we have here is a film with a script that lazily restages many of the scenes from the classic tv show and tries to make it hang together coherently.

If you are a fan of the show you will recognise many of the gags being recycled. Whilst not a complete mess the film offers nothing new and wastes it cast. The scriptwriters really should have tried harder and given Rigsby and co a new situation to deal with rather than plundering from the show.

Inevitably the great Lionel Rossiter steals every scene he is in, yet the cast were always the series strong point and both Frances De La Tour and Don Warrington give strong performances. Richard Beckinsale had tragically passed away at the ridiculously young age of 31 so rather than recast his role the producers wisely brought in a new character played by Christopher Strauli. However the opportunity to make an interesting film is let down by the script as it just retreads the tv show when it could have done something new. Yes the film is funny in places but only if you've never seen the entire show, in which case you will see all the jokes coming.

The direction is decent enough considering the limitations of the smallish budget and the amount of location work, the cast are all terrific as we would expect but the opportunity to give the fans a great send off to one of the next British sitcoms is sadly lost.

A wasted opportunity.

"Rising Damp, Its Climbing Up The Wall!"

[ShadeGrenade · 3/10 · 27 November 2006]

The film version of 'Rising Damp' came out two years after the television series ended. Like many fans I duly went along to the cinema when it opened. I came away bitterly disappointed. Eric Chappell could not have spent very much time writing the script; most of it is rehashed ideas from old episodes. At the time of the film's release, the 'Rising Damp' series was still being repeated regularly on I. T. V. So the public was being asked to pay to see something they'd seen already. At least the 'On The Buses' movies boasted original screenplays.

Secondly, Richard Beckinsale had died the year before, so they eliminated the character of 'Alan' as a mark of respect, substituting art student 'John', played by Christopher Strauli of 'Only When I Laugh' fame. It simply wasn't the same.

As another poster has pointed out, Rigsby's boarding house looked nothing like the one used in the series, being bigger and altogether cleaner.

Director Joe McGrath was one of the directors who worked on the original 'Casino Royale', a film steeped in surreal humour. 'Rising Damp' also has its share of 'Walter Mitty' style fantasy sequences, such as the 'Saturday Night Fever' parody. Personally, I found them horribly out of place. A case of 'over-egging the pudding'.

On the plus side, Leonard Rossiter is as magnificent as ever as the seedy 'Rigsby', as are Frances De La Tour as 'Ruth' and Don Warrington as 'Philip. Its just a shame the film isn't worthy of their talents.

When Rossiter died in 1984, it was shown by I. T. V. As a tribute, with its final scene - showing Rigsby falling down the stairs - edited in the interests of good taste.

As Good As It Could Be

[Heathen_Chemist · 8/10 · 9 July 2005]

The history of TV to film adaptations are littered with aberrations which almost conclusively prove that the tradition should never have started in the first place. There are, however, some examples which manage to pull it off, just. Rising Damp would, at first, appear to be the last sitcom suitable for the big screen treatment as this hilarious series was based within the tiny confines of a northern bedsit. Also the writer, Eric Chappell, wasn't being paid enough to spend time crafting an entirely original screenplay so he harvested a batch of TV episodes and stitched them together to form the body of the film. This, in itself, didn't necessarily mean that the script would fail. David Croft and Jimmy Perry did the same thing with their screenplay for Dad's Army and it worked superbly. Although, the early Dad's Army episodes, with their staid pace and over arcing plot, lent themselves far better to film adaptation. The Rising Damp episodes, however, were high energy affairs from the first scene to the breathless climax. As a result, as one story is concluded and another started, the scenes within the film become disjointed. Another pitfall for the movie version of a TV series is the inevitable comparisons that are made. In this respect the film pales in comparison to Rising Damp's brilliant series. Despite all this, Rising Damp the Movie manages to be entertaining and occasionally uproarious. It is perhaps not surprising that the finest moments occur during sequences written specially for the film. This includes a rugby match where Rossiter does a brilliantly timed pratfall. Indeed, while all the cast handle their roles perfectly (bar a sub standard replacement actor for the late and truly great Beckinsale), it is Leonard Rossiter as Rigsby that shines the most. In fact Rising Damp should have been made as a film just so Rossiter could have been eligible for an Oscar, such is the magnificence of his acting talent. Criminally, he wasn't even nominated. Ultimately, the film fails to match the giddy heights of the TV series while managing to hold its own as a comedy in its own right with some beautifully played moments. Recommended viewing.

One last thing: The opening and closing music is by far the worst in film history.

Acceptable on It's Own Terms

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 27 December 2019]

The fag end of the seemingly endless succession of seventies TV spin-offs that was yet another reason why British films were such a depressing feature of the 1970s.

But unnecessary as it is (especially since it lacks the late Richard Beckinsale), it still has Eric Chappell's writing and the acting of the rest of the regulars Leonard Rossiter (also soon claimed by the Grim Reaper), Frances de la Tour and Don Warrington; and after the appalling title song - which probably prejudices most viewers even before the credits are over - it can only get better (although at 98 minutes it goes on far too long).

Christopher Strauli (himself a familiar face at the time from 'Only When I Laugh') is actually a perfectly adequate substitute for Beckinsale; while 'Guest Star' Denholm Elliott makes the lesser impression because of the brevity of his role (his presence counts for much more in the recent 'Sweeney 2').

Shot in drab colour on actual locations, it's now nearly forty years old and a period piece itself; with it's payphone in the hall, Rigsby collecting milk bottles off the doorstep and the Battle of Britain still sufficiently recent for Elliott to be able to pass himself off as a veteran.

Damp squib

[joachimokeefe · 4/10 · 16 June 2007]

Leonard Rossiter and Frances de la Tour carry this film, not without a struggle, as the script was obviously hurriedly cobbled together out of old episodes. When it came out, this must have been a real disappointment as it's also done on a bus ticket budget. Attempts to move it out of the house - which is jarringly unrecognisable, a bad job all round there - with a picnic, fantasy sequences, rugby and a boxing match in the local gym simply don't work. Most of these are just character-light setups for a solitary not-particularly good gag. That said, the interplay of Rossiter and de la Tour (and anybody else with him) is mostly hilarious; they even manage to make a soda syphon gag work, but you can see the struggle with recycling a literally uninspired script that changes plot half way through. Don Warrington has very little to do except 'be black', and due to the random script hacks Christopher Strauli changes character at least twice. And in the end, as he often did in the TV series (though you might not remember - read the scripts), Eric Chappell lets you down with a 'time's up' ending. Were they that cynical, or just too desperate to be in the film business? Rossiter and de la Tour are always funny but as a film, it's a terrible postscript to a fondly remembered TV series. RIP.

The perfect combination...

[nospin · 8/10 · 26 July 1999]

So, Americans make t.v. series based on movies, whilst us Brits make films based on t.v. shows.It should never work, but on this occasion it does because of a sublime meeting of character and actor. Cliches are sometimes justly so, and Leonard Rossiter was BORN to play Rigsby.This is one of the great comic creations, kind of how Norman Bates would have turned out if he'd been melancholic instead if murderous.

Decent, funny movie

[john38-738-643099 · 6/10 · 26 August 2017]

Not as funny as the TV series, but still has plenty of laughs.

The movie is centred around Rigsby ( Leonard Rossiter ), and it seems to have taken some of the sketches from the original TV series and put them together to make a movie version.

Sadly, for me, it was missing the presence of the brilliant Richard Beckinsale who sadly passed away the year before the movie was made, but it starred the other usual suspects, Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, and Frances de la Tour. Replacing Beckinsale was actor Christopher Strauli, who was never going to cut the mustard as a replacement, he was OK though. Then there was Denholm Ellliot as Charles Seymour, who put in another great performance, just as he always does.

The story line is pretty much centred around Rigsby chasing after the woman of his dreams, a con man (Denholm Elliot) and an art student named John (Christopher Strauli) with a complicated love life and a will to wind up Rigsby.

Summing it up, a very watchable Movie, lots of laughs, a cast that seemed to gel together well, but sadly lacked the same punch as the TV series, but that might be down to the fact Richard Beckinsale wasn't there.

Big screen outing for Rigsby and friends

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 30 March 2017]

RISING DAMP is another big screen adaptation of a popular British TV series from the 1970s. Inevitably this makes it feel like an extended version of a random episode from the show, or perhaps like watching three back-to-back. There are two main problems with this film: the first is that the best jokes have been copied from the TV series, and the second is that Richard Beckinsale had died, and Christopher Strauli is a poor imitator by comparison.

That RISING DAMP is still funny lies in the talent of Leonard Rossiter to make his Rigsby such an engaging character, even though you'd hate him if any other actor played him. Rossiter's quick wits keep him a lively and entertaining presence, and his repartee with a spirited Don Warrington, although a little politically incorrect these days, is still highly amusing. Frances De La Tour carries on her tradition of being amusingly scatty, and Denholm Elliott appears in a sub-plot to draw in audiences. The end result is middling, but watchable for fans of British comedy.

A great reminder of a great sitcom

[ListerUK2001 · 20 April 2003]

TV to Film adaptations are notorious for their failure to transfer any of the winning elements that made the show popular. I can't think of a worse proposition than to make a motion picture of the great sitcom Rising Damp. A sublime series that worked for it's performers, scripts and just as importantly it's claustrophobic setting. Even episodes that ventured outside the dingy house in which the characters share, it was often to a single set location for the whole of the second act. In a twenty five minute sitcom, those restrictions can be played up to create some magnificent comedy. On film however, the effect is quite the reverse.

Also Richard Berkinsale had tragically passed away by the time came to make the movie. The fourth and final series had been without him due to contractual obligations elsewhere and it left the final run of episodes wanting (though two or three shows still managed to be perfect).

Yet despite this Rising Damp the movie was by far and away the finest film adaptation of all time. While not capturing the sheer brilliance of the series, there were plenty of hysterical moments littered throughout the film.

First off the three remaining performers are in perfect form. Infact the film was worth making simply as a reason for Lennerd Rossiter to be given an Oscar. Something he was inexplicably denied! His total mastery of the screen as Rigsby is breathtaking.

The script is mostly TV episodes mashed together into an episodic structure. Considering the enormous success of these scripts, it would seem a perfectly good idea. However, anyone familiar with the series will notice how must funnier it was on TV and will be wanting to see something new. Eric Chappell's scripts does contain some new material and it is these moments that distinguish the film as superior to other adaptations. The Rugby scene is a particularly brilliant example.

10/10

A welcome stay at Rigsby's house

[bgsmall · 7/10 · 28 January 2021]

Caught this on ITV Player with <6d to go, I guess, a left over from Christmas. I am a fan of sitcoms (especially anything from the 70's, 80's and 90's).

This movie plays on the main thrust of the plot from the sitcom series, arguably it worked better as a sitcom rather than a film. However, with Richard Beckinsale unfortunately passed away, Chris Strueli provides a sterling performance as 'Alan'. 'Rigsby', 'Miss Jones' and 'Phillip' segue effortlessly into their roles to make for an entertaining (albeit familiar) visit to Rigsby's abode.

I would recommend for the period features of 80's Britan (attitudes left-over from eariler decades) and just all round easy entertainment.

"It's gonna get us all!"

[Rabical-91 · 6/10 · 13 September 2023]

'Rising Damp' ended on Yorkshire Television after four series in 1978. Two years later. It went down the same route of most popular sitcoms of the '70's and transferred over to the big screen. The director was Joe McGrath. Sadly, the film failed at the box office and overall is generally disliked by fans. I can understand why as while it was not dreadful, overall it was not very good either.

There was no plot as such, just segments taken from the TV scripts and stitched together like Frankenstein's monster whilst dotted in amongst were 'Billy Liar' style fantasy sequences which by common consensus did the film no favours. The 'Grease' parody featuring Rigsby as John Travolta and Miss. Jones as Olivia Newton John was particularly embarrassing.

Another black mark is the casting of Christopher Strauli ( who by this time was appearing in Eric Chappell's hospital based sitcom 'Only When I Laugh' ) as art student John. Richard Beckinsale died the year previous so his character was written out. The character of John was Alan Moore in all but name. It simply did not work, though Strauli was not to blame for that. In fact neither Leonard Rossiter, Frances De La Tour or Don Warrington could be blamed for the movie being a flop. Chappell was to blame for writing a substandard script.

The bad response the film met with also ensured that there would not be a fifth television series. Such a disappointing way to round off a great show.

The same year this film went out, another ITV sitcom was adapted to the big screen - Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke's 'George & Mildred' ( adapted for the big screen by Dick Sharples ). It fared no better than the movie of 'Rising Damp' but was immeasurably more amusing in comparison.

Funniest bit - Rigsby and Miss. Jones' picnic ending in disaster after the two get chased out of the field they were sitting in by an angry bull!

Pointless rehashing of old jokes..

[anxietyresister · 4/10 · 4 May 2006]

Doesn't this seem somewhat familiar? Oh wait, that's right.. 90% of the jokes in this movie have already been done in the TV series. What's the point in repeating yourself, you may ask? Is it for the benefit of the Americans who haven't seen the programme? Did the scriptwriters run out of inspiration? Or maybe everyone on set suffered a sudden attack of amnesia, and forgot they'd covered this ground already? Either way, for someone who has sat through the first three series, this was just really boring. I had to turn it off during the 'tablets that turn your water green' part.. yes it is very funny, but give us something original for goodness sake! Actually, if the best new stuff you can come up with is Leonard Rossiter's take on Saturday Night Fever, you can forget it.

The guy they got to replace the late Richard Beckinsale is a lookalike alright, but not half the actor. Personally I would exorcised the role, as a mark of respect to him. Or better yet, not bothered making the film at all, and just let the hilarity of the TV series speak for itself. But no, they couldn't do that.. not as long as there was money to be made. Sad, really. 4/10

Brilliant

[dai-tyler · 9/10 · 17 April 2007]

Obviously, the the responses here were written many years after the film was released and cannot be taken in context. Back in 1980 in post labour England, this film was bloody funny. We were glad of something to laugh about and Rising Damp, with its sympathetic mockery of a complete social strata, was one of the best British sitcoms of its period, if not ever. It struck a chord in almost everybody and in true British fashion, we laughed at the Rigsby in ourselves. America had nothing to touch this type of humour because self debasement was not amusing to our overseas cousins. Leonard Rossiter was one of Englands finest actors, on stage, on TV and in Movies. His commitment and professionalism were second to none. Richard Beckinsale was, although young, a perfect comedic foil to Rossiter and should, by all rights, be classed as an all time great. Had he not been taken so young, I feel sure he would, by now, be classified as one of Britains greatest comedy actors. Frances De la Tour found her finest television moment in Rising Damp and, for me, never quantified her undoubted ability with further roles. If you did not see the film at the time of its release, you are not qualified to comment, simply because you cannot understand why it was funny, the humour of the moment.

Good if your New To Rising Damp-A Repeat if Series Addict.

[dhsb58 · 4/10 · 2 October 2004]

This film derives from a Long Running ITV sitcom by the same name.The Sitcom lasted for half a decade roughly and brought to our screens Rigsby,Phillip,Alan,Mrs Jones & Vienna.

Then in 1980 The film version hit the Cinemas.Now when it did,sadly Richard Beckinsale had passed away & was replaced by Only when i laugh actor Chris Strauli.

I myself felt this gave the film a different feel.I would have preferred if it wasn't shot as Richard was a key character.Thats like having the porridge film without Godber or Mackay!

The Film did have some classics moments definitely but it felt a bit De-Ja-Vu! Many parts were seen before in the TV Series. Now if you saw the movie first rather than the Series you would get a different feeling about it then the series fan!

Saying that Leonard is definitely on top form and makes the movie,just like in the TV series.The Film has recently had a new lease of life on DVD and is usually on Terrestrial over a quiet weekend.It is a cracking good film,but for Rigsby fans you may feel that youv'e seen it similarly before.

Saying that though its worth a buying/watching

7.8/10

I loved the Rising Damp Sitcom.

[mjp78 · 5/10 · 26 August 2020]

This is really just a rehash of jokes and scenes from the series. Anyway, it's still Rising Damp and it's worth a watch.

Fans of the TV show won't be disappointed

[bob the moo · 16 January 2002]

Rigsby rents rooms in his house to Miss Jones and African chief Philip. When a room becomes available in his house he gets art student Alan to share Philip's room. This causes tension in the house as Rigsby continues to compete for Miss Jones' affections. When they see Philip on the rugby field a fitness craze goes through the house leading to a boxing match between Rigsby and Philip. With Philip and Alan sharing the upper room Rigsby rents the middle room out to English gentleman Seymour who may or may not be who he claims, leading to more tension as Miss Jones begins to fall under Seymour's spell.

This is essentially three episodes worth of stories rolled into a film - the first episode is the new tenant moving into the house, the second episode is the all the fitness thing leading to the boxing match, the third episode is the Seymour incident. In fact each lasts about 30 minutes, although they are nicely rolled into each other so it's not as clear cut as three separate strands. The stories are about as good as the TV show was - so if you like that then you'll probably like this. The best bit is really the final 30 minutes due to Denholm Elliott's presence but there is 1970's style fun to be had with the other sections.

From the horribly disco theme song, you know where you are - happily the racist jokes aren't as bad as other 70's sitcoms but it's still there. It's not too offensive because Philip is allowed to rise above the stereotypes and only Rigsby is the one who makes the jokes (and he's made to look stupid and backward). It's not really funny but it's quite amusing. The saving grace is Rossiter as Rigsby - he really is so good in the role to the extent that he rises above the material and makes it better than it is. De la Tour is also good in her well rehearsed role and Don Warrington brings a lot of dignity to the black character who could easily just have been a punching bag for racist jokes. "Only When I Laugh's" Christopher Strauli makes a good addition to the house and Elliot brings a great deal of class to what is essentially a sitcom.

Overall this isn't fantastic but it's amusing and entertaining. It does feel like three episodes rolled together but if you're a fan of the series then I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Just damp

[Prismark10 · 2/10 · 17 April 2017]

Rising Damp has always been regarded one of ITVs better sitcoms of the 1970s even though the series was full of casual racism.

As soon as the series ended, work started on a feature film spin off and this is the dismal effort.

Of course the producers were not helped by the premature death of actor Richard Beckinsale who played one of the main characters. He is replaced by Christopher Strauli who plays a new character, art student Alan and a new tenant in Rigsby's house.

The main part of the film is seedy Rigsby attempting to keep fit as he is envious of African chief Philip's success at the rugby field. Rigsby hopes if he can beat Philip at boxing he can win the affections of Miss Jones. (Ironically Leonard Rossiter who died at a relatively young aged was a top ranked amateur squash player.)

The final part of the movie is Denholm Elliott playing suave new tenant Seymour who may be not all he seems to be but Rigsby thinks he is a gent because Seymour went to public school. Then Seymour starts to woo Miss Jones much to Rigsby's chagrin.

The film is episodic because it is three episodes stitched together. I think Henry McGee played the part in the television show better than Elliott here because his character revealed a nasty vile side, especially when he talked to Philip.

The film has several dream sequences including a Grease pastiche and a reference to the Cinzano ads which Leonard Rossiter was famous for at the time with Joan Collins.

The film just fails to capture the essence of the television sitcom, it comes across as crass and unfunny. Despite Rossiter doing sterling work as Rigsby, the script and direction were poor.