The Square Peg

Just outside the Sefton Hotel in Douglas, Isle of Man, a bronze statue of Sir Norman Wisdom greets patrons to the bar inside that is dedicated to his memory. Although Wisdom is largely unknown in the U.S., the diminutive actor-comedian made a popular series of films in the 1950's and 1960's that featured his on-screen persona, Norman Pitkin. An amusing entry, "The Square Peg," dates from the middle of that period. Norman plays Norman, who is doing road repair to keep Britain's arteries moving during World War II. Both Norman and his boss, Mr. Grimsdale, played by Edward Chapman, run afoul of the local military and find themselves inducted into the army.

The logic is not strong, but the humor is. Private Norman falls for a uniformed Honor Blackman and finds himself behind enemy lines in France, where he encounters a look-alike German general. Do not ask why or how, just suspend disbelief and follow the flow. As his doppelganger, General Schreiber, Wisdom scales the comic heights with the hilarious seduction of a somewhat over-ripe opera singer. The film makes no sense, but serves as a springboard for sight gags that involve a road sign and military salutes and for comedic situations with a plane full of parachutists that highlight the talents of Mr. Wisdom. Although Chapman has his moments, Blackman and the rest of the cast have little to do. Evidently a low-budget programmer, "The Square Peg" is a serviceable and entertaining introduction to an instantly lovable comic.