1957

Various old Ealing themes (Passport to Pimlico, Kind Hearts) are tied up in this late-period offering, with an unseaworthy Alec Guinness turning a decrepit pier into a cruise ship. Richard ‘Sykes’ Wattis, Lionel ‘Wombling Free’ Jeffries, William ‘Kindly old gentleman’ Mervyn, Donald ‘Perfectly’ Pleasence, Warren ‘Bloody poorer, that’s a fact!’ Mitchell, Joan ‘Marple’ Hickson, the inevitable Sam ‘Mike Baldwin’s dad’ Kydd, and a debuting Jackie ‘Lady Boss’ Collins make up your bingo card this morning. By no means classic Ealing, but far better than the one-star rating the RT usually gives it might suggest.

Tags: Alec Guinness, Donald Pleasence, Jackie Collins, Joan Hickson, Lionel Jeffries, Richard Wattis, Sam Kydd, Warren Mitchell, William Mervyn, Yes - the entire billing replicated in the tags once again. We really ought to put more effort in