Die Rakete zur flotten Puppe

Norman Wisdom was a household name in the UK and he had a very long and successful career. However, here in the States very few have ever heard of him or have a taste for his comedy. I watched this film purely to see Michael Caine in a VERY small uncredited part...mostly because I've seen nearly all his films and might as well see them all!

After trying to impress Marlene and completely botching it, Norman decides to kill himself. Unfortunately, before jumping off a cliff, a sailor stops him and convinces him to join the navy instead of suicide. Without any sort of basic training, Norman is now assigned to a ship where he instantly makes a total nuisance of himself. At the same time, the Admiral (Ian Hunter) says that the navy's new rocket can be controlled by anyone and they pick Norman to undergo a training program for the rocketry program. Can he manage to do SOMETHING right or will this, too, be a total failure?

In many ways, this film is in the tradition of Lou Costello in "Buck Privates" and Jerry Lewis in "At War With the Army". In other words, a total idiot in the service manages, eventually, to get it right. However, Norman might just be even less intelligent.

The important question is, is it funny? Well, occasionally yes...but mostly no. A few scenes go on way too long and aren't funny (such as the man overboard sequence) and a few do work better (such as when Norman becomes a deep sea diver). In other words, it's a real mixed bag. Die-hard fans will no doubt like it, whereas for others it might be a bit of a hard sell to get them to like it...if at all.

Overall, a film that is watchable and nothing more....a true time-passer. Perhaps it would have been better had I grown up watching and enjoying his Wisdom's films.

'The Bulldog Breed' is one of my favourite Norman Wisdom films, but not one of his best.It is interesting because of the space flight angle, and the film certainly captures the mood of the era.

In many respects this is a sad film; Puckle is portrayed as a rather tragic character, who never really finds his niche.The whole films carries a slight air of depression about it, which is not helped by the melancholy music score.

There are several funny scenes, notably the 'man overboard' scene, the diving lesson, and the mountain climbing episode. In all of these though, the comedy is diluted by the overall gloom of the film.

A hidden gem in the film are the brief, uncredited, appearances of Michael Caine and Oliver Reed in the cinema foyer scene.

Norman takes on the Navy and its archaic judging system, there are a few laughs but nothing tremendous, Norman is still fun and accident prone, but not as funny as in other films.

Look out for a droll John Le Mesurier and Frank Williams, both who found fame in Dads Army later, Liz Fraser who was in the Dad's Army film, David Lodge, Cyril Chamberlain, Michael Caine and Oliver Reed, there were also a few bit-role players who did a good few Carry On's.

Not the best, but worth watching if not for the actors, but just to see Norman in another film.

I think that I first saw this on its original Odeon release.My excuse being that I was young and impressionable at the time.I normally cannot stand Norman Wisdom films,but I did laugh a few times at this.The problem with this film is that it is very episodic and that it has been through the hands of a number of writers.Often they seem to work on the basis that if a gag is funny once why not repeat it six times.The man overboard sequence being a particularly unfunny example of this.Norman Wisdom is one of those actors whom you either like or dislike.I tend to be in the later camp so the end of this film could not come quickly enough for me.

Our Norman's appeal was that of the 'little man', - which is why his films were considered sufficiently politically correct to be screened in Albania, where he remains a household name to this day - while the recruitment methods employed by the Royal Navy are definitely shown to be highly questionable.

The proof the pudding however is in the eating, and the little weasel shows a nasty inclination to throw his weight around whenever he gets the chance and often demonstrates that the ability to hurt goes straight his head and just what he is capable of when permitted a modicum of power over others; although his stunt work is up to his usual high standard.

They say women love a man in uniform, which is the only plausible explanation that in one memorable scene the gorgeous Liz Fraser gives him the time of the day.