The highlight has to be the final dinner sequence. In typically English
fashion Sir Sidney decides to have dinner despite a full scale assault
being launched on the mansion. During this sequence some of the highlights
are, Joan Sims delivering the line:
‘I
seem to be a little plastered’
...after being hit post falling
masonry
Peter Butterworth remarking
on the ‘terrible noise’ to which Sid James replies…
’yes
it’s dreadful – they’re not a first class orchestra – mind you they’re
doing their best’
To someone
who has not seen the film or has but isn’t British these lines will
not doubt be lost – but for straight forward no holes barred slapstick
comedy – boy was it ahead of its day.
Many have
commented on the overtly ‘patriotic’ rising on the flag at the end on
the movie which says ‘I’m backing Britain’ – well hey sue me, but at
least someone was proud to be British then – well done Gerald. Our present
prime minister would have several focus groups on the issue and then
decide on a comprise along the lines of:
‘I
think in principal we can endorse, at least the concept, of a semi inclusive
backing – reliant on further investigation’
I wonder how you would get
that all on a flag tony...