Sir Ernest Pease is sucked out of an aeroplane and captured by the Germans, and promptly interred at a POW camp. Naturally he refuses to give the Germans any information, and carrying his surly approach into his bunking quarters doesn't endear him to his fellow prisoners. But word comes thru from the hierarchy that Pease is so important on account of his scientific knowledge, he must escape at all costs. Thus this odd group of people must unite to get the old curmudgeon free.
Written by the men behind some of Norman Wisdom's most well known offerings {Henry Blyth & Jack Davies} and starring such British comedy luminaries like James Robertson Justice, Leslie "Hello" Phillips, Stanley Baxter, John Le Mesurier and Eric Sykes. Well it isn't rocket science to work out what type of film you are in for. Competently made at Beaconsfield Studio for Independent Artists,Very Important Person is practically a goofy version of the Great Escape {made two years later I hasten to add}. The Germans are of course portrayed as clueless dunderheads, and the British prisoners get by with a stiff upper lip and using humour as ultra sharp defence mechanisms.
So nothing new here for those that have sat thru many a 50s and 60s British war comedy, but the cast and writing is so engaging it's easy to forgive the familiarity of it all. Carried easily by the broad presence of James R Justice as Pease {fans of the Doctor franchise will love him here}, it's a film that knows it's a simple piece. It exists purely to induce a giggle, maybe even stir a bit of pride, and with its ending-actually has something to say as regards its main character. It's real light stuff that isn't the least bit dramatic {as some on line reviewers have suggested}, kind of like like a light wafer biscuit, you know it's a snack and that's really all you need to make you temporarily fulfilled. 6.5/10
