Proof positive that, in many a film comedy, the nominally ‘straight’ man is often to be found giving a more assured comic performance than the clown. Consider his Citizen Bidet in Carry On… Don’t Lose Your Head! While Williams flares and drawls and gasps as his superior, Butterworth fawns, nods in eager agreement, immediately looks puzzled as to what he’s agreeing to, dismisses the worry from his mind and nods again, opens his mouth as if to respond, looks surprised when no words emerge from his mouth, looks down at the floor for a bit, then decides the best course of action is to stick to what you know best, and starts nodding eagerly again. All in the space of a single Kenneth Williams sentence. Now that’s attention to detail.
FINEST HOUR: Fidgeting for all he’s worth in silent comedy short Ouch! as Jonah Whale, wedding wrecker.
