What a wonderful gem to find, in 2019. I grew up with the TV series but, never knew there was a follow up movie.
When the series came out I was a tot at 10 years of age however, I could already understand the satire this series depicted, along with "Till Death Do Us Part". Both perfectly depicted life as it was at the time in England.
I could see exactly what the writers were putting up to society, and the cast were the perfect idiom to do so, they were so well matched. They were trying to break down long held barriers between races. To an extent, it worked, it's not there yet.
Jack Smethurst and Kate Williams were already established actors. Rudolph Walker and Nina Baden-Semper were relative newcomers. However, the blend of both, even in the 70's, worked.
The male actors played off each other brilliantly, the female actors played off ecah other because women meet together better tham men do. And that was part of why the series and movie worked, not just because of "colour".
To see faces I hadn't seen in over 40 years, was a joy to behold. To be reminded of the comedy I grew up with, is indescribable, especially in this age of political correctness. This movie was completely incorrect, as it was meant to be (in an age before "correctness".
The multiple storylines that evolved from a simple premise, worked; especially the unexpected love match arriving from an early flight from Trinadad. I won't elaborate, I'll leave that up to the viewer. THAT pulled the movie together, and made it the prefect ending to the TV series, exactly what it all meant in the first place.
Only those of "my" age would know that, Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker were actually best of friends. I was one of the lucky ones, who saw Jack being "ambushed" for "This Is Your Life", on his way to dinner, with his wife; and sitting beside him in the car was, Rudolf and HIS wife. For the younger generation, Rudolf Walker, OBE, plays Patrick Trueman in "Eastenders" on BBC TV.
