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Films: S is for...

Steptoe and Son Ride Again

Forget all that film school rubbish about The Godfather: Part II being the best example of a sequel better than its predecessor (you must unlearn what you have learned, as someone once said), this is it here. The first Steptoe movie was good enough in itself but foundered as it fell headlong into the trap of relocating a portion of the action abroad (see Holiday On The Buses) but Ride Again remains resolutely at home in Shepherd’s Bush refusing to go anywhere further afield than White city, Acton Park or Southall Market. So, okay, it’s a bit episodic. But when the episodes involve Diana Dors, Milo O’Shea and Sam Kydd, that’s a strength not a weakness. And, as a bonus, we might point out to those of you not quick enough to notice that when Harold gets into the lift at the start there’s some writing on the wall which reads ‘Johnnie Jay the Odeon groper’ which is the best graffiti seen in any film ever.

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Lee James Turnock

    May 24, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    The line everyone remembers – “I told you, he’s a wanker!”

  2. Ian W.

    June 27, 2017 at 11:06 am

    Holiday On The Buses doesn’t relocate abroad. It’s at a Butlins/Pontins type holiday camp. But you knew that.

  3. Glenn Aylett

    December 28, 2021 at 11:10 am

    Watched this again and the scene with Milo O Shea as the alcoholic doctor is hilarious. Added bonus for me is seeing a long gone but very popular London sporting venue, White City Stadium, used for everything from greyhound racing to pop concerts. At one time in London a night at the dogs was almost as popular as a trip to the local football ground.

  4. Richardpd

    December 28, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    White City also hosted a game in the 1966 World Cup because Wembley was being used for a greyhound race that day!

    Eventually it got into a vicious circle of not making enough money from events to keep it maintained

    The Steptoe episode Divided we stand mentions their turnstile came from a dog track.

    As for The Godfather II, while it’s a great film the first one has a lot more memorable moments, helped by the likes of The Simpsons spoofing them over the years.

  5. Glenn Aylett

    December 28, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    @ Richardpd, White City was used for track and field in the 1948 Olympics and was one of the biggest sports venues in the capital, until it closed in 1985 and the site bought by the BBC.
    Convenient location for Steptoe and Son Ride Again being a mile from their yard and a couple of miles from Acton Park, where the greyhound was trained.
    As a film, one of the best sitcom spin offs as it didn’t have a holiday or water down the characters for the film. Indeed Albert is even more obnoxious and uses an expression not heard in the sitcom.

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