The Sandwich Man

Sat down with an NCOT on Sunday and by chance flicked onto this Michael Bentine vehicle from 1966, being shown on UK Gold. I was pleasantly suprised, more by the fantastic London street scenes, complete with small boys and the like looking on in the background of many scenes, the filmmakers having not bothered to shoo them off. It's got Harry Corbett, Terry-Thomas, Cribbins, Diana Dors - in fact the only person that doesn't show up is probably Milligan. Proto-hippie dolly birds, lads in brown makeup pretending to be an Indian beat combo ('The Sikh-ers'), it had the lot.

Bought this recently but haven't had a chance to watch it yet. Great to hear of all the London scenery though!

See Amazon product listing
[p=http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/3276492/The-Sandwich-Man/Product.html]
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Sounds like the kind of film I love to watch post lunch when I have the house to myself

Many, many years since I saw this. I recall it as being rather fun.

Quote: Will Cam @ May 15 2012, 5:08 AM BST

Sounds like the kind of film I love to watch post lunch when I have the house to myself

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snigger

Quote: sootyj @ May 15 2012, 12:53 PM BST

snigger

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Yeah watched it myself, first time I saw it and rather enjoyed it.

I lived in the area when they filmed parts in St Pancras, and the children were actively encouraged by M Bentine and others to stay and watch and get caught on film in the background. Great film, quiet streets.

Used to have this on VHS, star studded but pretty pedestrian by Bentine's normally manic standards. I seem to really liking Norman Wisdom's boxing vicar. There was always a tension between Milligan and Bentine, that was the main reason Bentine left the Goons.

The trailer was on Facebook looked very merh

Quote: sootyj @ December 2 2012, 9:40 PM GMT

The trailer was on Facebook looked very merh

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Yea only really of interest for the star studded cast, like a few films of that time

Just sat through this cultural oddity. A who's who of British comedy actors. Good to see Roger Delgado (the original Master from Doctor Who as a Persian carpet seller) and Burt Kwouk joining 'The Sikh-ers' band. Possibly this film is some sort of masterpiece of Rabelaisian tedium in which an everyman encounters so many different people in a single day, but the abrupt transitions did not make for a decent narrative. I found it a dreadful bore (apart from playing "identify the endless parade of famous actors"). The end credits were a surprise.

I have no recollection of this film from the mid 60s, which I suppose you could say was my period and so was going to buy the DVD off Amazon for about £7 and thank God I didn't as I found it on YouTube, which I have just finished watching.

I can only think that the reviewers on both Amazon and the IMDb have watched a different film to me as they all think it is great whereas I found it a complete bore. Silly. Not funny at all. And a typical Bentine "farce".

The only thing I enjoyed was seeing mid sixties street scenes of London and the dolly birds that I remember with great fondness.

FYI, this film is on Talking Pictures (Freeview HD channel no 81, Sky 343, Virgin 445) this Friday (10 November) at noon.