Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!
| Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Bob Kellett |
| Produced by | Andrew Mitchell |
| Written by | Michael Pertwee |
| Starring |
Brian Rix Leslie Phillips Joan Sims Joanna Lumley Derek Royle Myra Frances Katy Manning Peter Bland Anita Graham Derek Griffiths Barrie Gosney |
| Music by | Peter Greenwell |
| Distributed by | The Rank Organisation |
Release dates | 1 April 1973 |
Running time | 97 min. |
Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! is a 1973 British film based on the popular "Whitehall Farce" written by Michael Pertwee, who also wrote the screenplay.
Plot summary
Sir William Mainwaring-Brown, a British Government Minister, puts forward a bill to battle filth (permissive behaviour) in the UK. However, that doesn't stop him having an affair with both Miss Parkyn (his secretary) and Wendy (the wife of a high-up reporter). Opponents to the bill - mainly some hippies, led by Johnny - kidnap the Minister's best friend and co-sponsor of the bill, Barry Ovis, just as he is on the way to the church to marry his fiancee, Jean.
Later and following a tip off by Johnny, the police raid the hippies' flat. The intention is to discredit Barry Ovis by making it appear that he was involved in an orgy and therefore, remove any credibility that the Law and Order Bill might have had. Thankfully (for Barry), he escapes before the police discover him and dashes back to Sir William's flat followed by Edith, one of the hippies.
Meanwhile, the Minister is also trying to use the flat to carry on his affairs with both Wendy and Miss Parkyn. The Minister, Barry and Jean try to keep the truth from Inspector Ruff, Wilfred Potts (an ancient MP, who is staying temporarily in the adjoining flat) and Birdie (the Minister's wife). Not only that, but they have to try to deal with the hippies who do their utmost to discredit Mainwaring-Brown and Ovis. Naturally this causes no end of trouble.
Cast
- Brian Rix - Barry Ovis
- Leslie Phillips - Sir William Mainwaring-Brown
- Joan Sims - Lady 'Birdie' Mainwaring-Brown
- Joanna Lumley - Giselle Parkyn
- Derek Royle - Wilfred Potts
- Myra Frances - Jean
- Katy Manning - Edith
- Peter Bland - Inspector Ruff
- Anita Graham - Wendy
- Barrie Gosney - Police Sergeant
- Derek Griffiths - Johnny
- Corbet Woodall - TV newsreader
- David Battley - Country Yokel
- Gabrielle Daye - Elderly lady
- Diane Langton - Angie
- Aubrey Woods - TV chairman
Reception
Halliwell's Film Guide gave the film a negative review, saying it was a "stupefying from-the-stalls rendering of a successful stage farce; in this form it simply doesn't work".[1] Radio Times was similarly scathing, stating the film "reduces the precise timing of the double entendres, the bedroom entrances and exits and the dropped-trouser misunderstandings to the level of clumsy contrivance, which not even the slickest of players can redeem".[2]
Television
The film was spun off into a sit-com entitled Men of Affairs for ITV in 1973. Leslie Phillips was unavailable to reprise his role as William Mainwaring-Brown, so the part went to Warren Mitchell, who had found lasting fame as Alf Garnett.
See also
References
- ↑ Halliwell's Film Guide, 13th edition - ISBN 0-00-638868-X.
- ↑ Parkinson, David. "Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!". Radio Times. Retrieved 25 April 2015.