And the Same to You

Leo Franklyn has just been appointed to a new parish. It includes a church that is at the point of falling down, and a tenant, William Hartnell, who is running a fight club. This, of course, is unsuitable for this sort of church, but given the delapidation of the building, the fact that Franklyn's nephew Brian Rex, has just gotten out of the navy, was a boxing champion there, and wants to go into holy orders... well, It's fairly obvious that Franklyn is going to try to look the other way, and that it won't work.

It's all rather episodic and chaotic given that the scriptwriting was led by John Paddy Carstairs, but director George Pollock was never one to let a script get in the way of a star comic turn. He's got several here, including Sid James in a marquis-value role, Miles Malleson and Renee Houston. Nothing quite fits together, but you can be sure that everything will end well, even if the reasons have to be pulled out of the air.

An English drinking song And The Same To You serves as a title for a quota quickie comedy that stars Brian Rix as a recently discharged sailor about to go into the church with the sponsorship of his uncle, Vicar Leo Franklyn. Their assignment is a parish where the parish hall has been sublet to William Hartnell as a health club.

But that's all a subterfuge because Hartnell runs a small boxing club out of the place. As it turns out Rix did some boxing in the British Navy and the place is in need of repair. What better way to earn the money than a pro bout or three.

Of course that involves keeping the subterfuge going away from the prying eyes of the Church Of England. Essentially that's the rest of the film, keeping up appearances and what it takes to do it.

Sid James is also in this film as a big time fight promoter. Both Hartnell and James have quite a bit of larceny in them and it's fun to see them trying to con the other.

Fans of Sid James and William Hartnell should like this one.

Wally Burton (William Hartnell) is a scheming boxing promoter. Oddly, he's rented out space in the local parish's recreation hall-- and the local vicar has no idea he and his disreputable customers are hanging out on church property. To get in good with the vicar, Wally decides to promote the man's nephew in his boxing career. However, even though they've enlisted the priest, there still is the archdeacon to impress (fool is more likely)...and to do so, Wally poses as the local vicar! Considering he's a rather sleazy character, that IS quite a stretch!

This film is mildly funny...mildly. The best part about it is seeing William Hartnell in the lead--he's pretty good. Most of the rest of the actors, however, have less to work with and the characters are rather drab. More a time-passer than a must-see film.

This is one of those movies that you watch more for the cast than it's plot (or even for its quality). The likes of William Hartnell (who gives a great comic performance), Sid James (who only seems to have two or three scenes) and, in one of his very rare film roles, Tommy Cooper, all seem to promise a much better film than the one that we get.

The problem lies in a fairly average script, which fails to ever really get going or to even get its plot to hang together. For example the climax is the surprise visit of the Arch-Deacon, a character who seems to arrive out of the blue and who was never mentioned previously in the film. Also everyone seems to have forgotten that Brian Rix is meant to be this film's star. Far more time is given to the likes of Hartnell and Vera Day and much more impact is made by James and Cooper, that Rix is pretty much sidelined.

Not a hidden gem or a particularly funny movie, it's worth checking out if you're a fan of British comedy (or just want to watch television's first 'Doctor Who' giving a brilliantly funny performance).