1 review
Old and new
My Old Man was another of Ronnie Barker's 7 of 1 series but the subsequent series was passed both by the BBC and Barker as it ended up on ITV with Clive Dunn in the central part.
The film visits similar themes that was popular in comedies of the era with a clash between an older and younger generation, the younger being more aspirational, the older more set in their ways leading to differences in class consciousness. In some ways reminds you of Steptoe and Son mixed with George and Mildred.
Barker plays Sam Cobbett, a cantankerous former railway man forced when his house is demolished to move to a tower block with his daughter and her husband who are upwardly mobile leading to mutual antagonism.
It now seems quaint that a tower block in the 1970s was seen as a sign of upward mobility when today its viewed as a breeding ground for social problems.
You have to admire the son in law bending over backwards to keep the old man happy but although there is a set up for a series here, I felt the pilot here was forced and half baked. Its hard to feel sympathy for Cobbett, its a shame he is alone and the world has moved on but this clash of culture comedy dividing a generation was actually dull and unfunny. Rather tailor made to become an ITV comedy.
The film visits similar themes that was popular in comedies of the era with a clash between an older and younger generation, the younger being more aspirational, the older more set in their ways leading to differences in class consciousness. In some ways reminds you of Steptoe and Son mixed with George and Mildred.
Barker plays Sam Cobbett, a cantankerous former railway man forced when his house is demolished to move to a tower block with his daughter and her husband who are upwardly mobile leading to mutual antagonism.
It now seems quaint that a tower block in the 1970s was seen as a sign of upward mobility when today its viewed as a breeding ground for social problems.
You have to admire the son in law bending over backwards to keep the old man happy but although there is a set up for a series here, I felt the pilot here was forced and half baked. Its hard to feel sympathy for Cobbett, its a shame he is alone and the world has moved on but this clash of culture comedy dividing a generation was actually dull and unfunny. Rather tailor made to become an ITV comedy.
- Prismark10
- May 8, 2014
- Permalink