What The Butler Saw (1950)

The only actor I knew in this 1950s B&W British film (and I've seen a few over the years!), was Edward Rigby who unusually had a starring part, whereas you might well see him as a gruff speaking old duffer. Oh, and I forgot about the camp Michael Ward who plays his grandson., who I've seen in a number of films and on TV

Dire, that's the only word for it - didn't even raise a smile.

Rigby plays an English aristocrat (miscast) who comes back to his country pile with is butler, and a load of crates with animal heads in he had shot (charming) but in one of the crates is stowed away, the daughter of the local King of the Coconut Isles who is in love with the butler.

He won't have anything to do with her, so she makes a love potion, which is taken by the wrong men and hilarity ensues, I don't think

2/10, the 2 being for the lovely Rolls Royce in it.

Yes I gave it 5 minutes.

My initial reaction when I saw this in the listings was to record it to watch as I assumed that it was a film version of the Joe Orton play that originally starred Stanley Baxter, a new production of which I saw at Eastbourne earlier this year (although I wasn't aware that there was a film version). Then I saw the date of the film (1950) and realised it would be far too early for Joe Orton.

So I didn't bother. Sounds as if I made the right choice.

A bit of a slow start, then picks up, sags a little, and picks up again. Regardless, very enjoyable and worthwhile for Rigby's performance alone. A really wonderful turn.

No doubting Rigby's acting, but I think he was miscast and struggled with a bad script.

Mind you it certainly wasn't as bad as a couple of American "horror" films I watched recently out of curiosity "Green Monster from Hell" (laughable) and "Beach Girls and the Monster" comical for all the wrong reasons.
Oh, and Ed Wood's "Bride of the Monster", which if it was possible was even worse than his earlier (now notorious) "Plan 9 from Outer Space"

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 26th August 2024, 11:16 PM

Oh, and Ed Wood's "Bride of the Monster", which if it was possible was even worse than his earlier (now notorious) "Plan 9 from Outer Space"

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I recommend Ed Wood's 'Orgy of the Dead' (1965) if you haven't seen it! Plenty of funny moments from Criswell (bloke who did the overly dramatic introduction to Plan 9 from Outer Space). Most of the film is topless women dancing.

Quote: a plate @ 28th August 2024, 8:13 PM

I recommend Ed Wood's 'Orgy of the Dead' (1965) if you haven't seen it! Plenty of funny moments from Criswell (bloke who did the overly dramatic introduction to Plan 9 from Outer Space). Most of the film is topless women dancing.

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Well, that won't be on TPTV, which is where those comical horror films were shown, as the owner is a bit of a prude, and you say there are topless women, so that's put the kibosh on that! 😒

Looks like you can find it with a free trial of Mubi through Amazon. https://amzn.to/3XobNvO

Thank you Aaron - toe curling sex. Just what the doctor ordered