Helter Skelter

I picked up this unusual DVD, very, very cheap at Deptford market which I thought I would give it a look because I used to like Jimmy Edwards when I was very young and I also noticed that it was written by Patrick Campbell I also thought I liked. It turns out of course that Campbell, back in the day, he had a serious speech impediment and nevertheless delighted TV audiences then. In this film we have the lovely Carol Marsh and here had a bad case of hiccups and that was more or less the story although I noticed that she had been in Brighton Rock (1948) and later Horror of Dracula (1958). Unfortunately I didn't find Jimmy Edwards so wonderful but most of the other comedians were astonishing and Ralph Thomas was really good getting this in and around with some intelligent and brilliant situations. Later on he would direct the 'Doctor' films and some of the early 'Carry on' ones as well. Of course it is the funny men really in this one as, Jon Pertwee, Terry-Thomas (astonishing), Wilfred Hyde-White (someone has fun with his name having a turn as Dr Jekyll and Hyde!), Michael Medwin, Harry Secombe (splendid and before his rather fat days) and Richard Wattis. Great and very funny and especially creative like the silent film joke and the people having fun with the radio and people could not be seen. I even found that Naunton Wayne was uncredited in this and I'd see him just last night with Obsession the same year.

I watched Helter Skelter about 30 years ago at the time when Monty Python was in its first series. Helter Skelter is equally amusing, but in an innocent way that I suppose would now be sneered at! Interesting at the time though to compare it with 'Python'. I recall that the plot centres around a 'hooray henry' character who for some reason cannot stop the 'hiccups'. His girlfriend (can't remember the actress's name) tries to find a cure or solution. No complications in the plot! The movie is filmed extensively inside the BBC in what I assume must be the building in Great Portland Street. Some of the scenes are extremely funny but generally the comedy is rather dated, still enjoyable though.

I recall one of the characters (I think maybe the leading lady's aunt) portrays a typical British girls public school sports mistress. Again I cannot recall the actress's name, but she is easily the funniest character in the movie. An enormous lady, who rides around on a tiny motor scooter, bizarre! Very funny though, and her best line is in recommending a psychiatrist to cure the hooray's hiccups because "he cured me completely of collecting hockey sticks". Terry-Thomas is also very funny, playing a pre-pop disk jockey who smashes all his records and is forced to impersonate the various acts.

As mentioned, the comedy would now be considered dated, but this zany movie has stuck in my memory since 1970 and I wish I could get to see it again.

This is a riotous and sometimes chaotic comedy that was probability years ahead of its time. The story is a straightforward romantic comedy about a woman who can't cure her hiccoughs, she is told that a fright will cure her ills so she visits a haunted house.

However what differentiates this film from comedies of this time is that it is littered with cameo roles from some of the all times greats of British film comedy.... Terry-Thomas, Wilfred Hyde-White, Jimmy Edwards and Jon Pertwee (twice) to name a few.

This film is directed by Ralph Thomas of the 'Doctor' films and it is easy to see many parallels with those classic movies.

This film is periodically repeated on Australia's ABC and each time I watch it I am struck by how far ahead of its time it was. Sure, it's black and white, but the jokes are funny and the story actually takes advantage of tricks one can do with film which hadn't been possible with theatre.

The story centres around heiress Susan Graham (played by Carol Marsh) and her quest to rid herself of the hiccups. She is alternately aided and hindered in her quest by two guardian uncles (each of whom has a son who they hope will marry Susan), 'heroic' radio man Nick Martin (David Tomlinson) who in fact is brow-beaten by his domineering mother Mrs Martin (Judith Furse), but the film also segues into little comic vignettes.

Look quickly and you'll see Wilfred Hyde-White (of "My Fair Lady" fame) playing Dr Jekyll, Harry Secombe, Terry-Thomas, Mervyn Johns, Glynis Johns and many other notables of the time.

All in all, Helter Skelter is good clean fun and well worth watching at least once.

I saw this film many many years ago on television with my parents. As a child I used to watch Richard Hearne as Mr Pastry in his comedy shows on television and quite liked those.

So I was intrigued by this film when it was shown to see what it would be like. The omens were quite promising, it was written by Patrick Campbell who I knew from the many times he was a captain on Call My Bluff (the other captain was Frank Muir and it was hosted by Robert Robertson). It was directed by Ralph Thomas who directed many popular British films of the 50s and 60s (Campbell's Kingdom and some of the Doctor films), It starred David Tomlinson (best known for the father in Mary Poppins).

I think the film was supposed to be a comedy, about the efforts made to try and stop a girl from hiccupping.

I and my parents found the film to be completely unfunny and we did not even manage a smile at any time. It was so bad that I have never forgotten this film and have no hesitation in saying that, of the many thousands of films I have seen, this stands out as the worst film of all.

I see that a DVD of this film is due to be released in April in the UK. I will not be buying a copy.