This BBC production directed by Nick Hurran sets out to make an updated version of the 1970 film of the same name, but adding more spicy bits, I refer to sexual content, so as to appease as many as possible in the updated public audience of today. However: the film is composed in a rather 60-ish style of romantic comedy, when, though it be a waste of time saying so, British comedy on radio and TV was absolutely at the peak of its magnificence. I refer to the late fifties and early sixties of the last century.
For those of us who were lucky enough to be born just after the end of World War Two, we came of age or at least late adolescence and thus with enough intelligence to enjoy the best of British humour in all its expressions. J.B. Priestley was busy in the theatre, as were Tom Stoppard and others; the radio delighted us with such exquisite entertainment as `It's That Man Again', `Take it From Here', `Hancock's Half Hour', `Round The Horne', `The Navy Lark', `Beyond Our Ken', `Steptoe and Son', `A Life of Bliss', and other entertainments such as `Just a Minute', closely followed by TV with humorous contributions of similar calibre, which I will not mention as tears of remorsefulness are filling my eyes.
Today British humour is vulgar, in bad taste: a reflection of the times in which we now live. All art including humour, which is serious business reflects the social conditions of the moment. Only `Mr. Bean' in recent years, perhaps, stands out a little from the rest of the banal triviality of today.
As if to prove my point, this version of 2000 for TV resuscitates Leslie Philips (contemporary of Sheila Hancock who takes part in the 1970 original version), one of the great stars of some of the shows mentioned above especially `The Navy Lark' and one of the stalwarts of hitherto refined wit.
It is as if Nick Hurran wanted to revive those unforgettable years which finally ended in bringing forth The Beatles (among others): he does not do a bad job of it. This film even includes a brief fragment from Luis Buñuel's `Un Chien Andalou' (1929).
But reminiscences go back: I can remember Hayley Mills (one year younger than I) doing what then seemed such wonderful things round Christmas Trees on deserted Islands somewhere in the South Pacific together with her father John Mills and in other Disney productions, and she seemed to me to be the most angelical thing to have ever `reeled' out of filming cameras, like a goddess from another world.
So those of you who can remember the 1970 film forget it; this new production is a totally new film, but with some of that nostalgic looking back which at times is inevitable. For those of you who are younger just sit back and enjoy: it has its pleasant moments and attempts a reconstruction of the late fifties rather well, including some beautiful cars. And a few visits to some genuine pubs. If you should come across any book by Kingsley Amis, enjoy those, too!
