The Square Peg

All Norman Wisdom Films tend to follow a simple formula. Loveable Norman has a simple life, usually overlooked by a father figure (Mr Grimsdale) who takes care of him. An antagonist enters the frame and usually angers Wisdom. Much revenge type comedy ensues. Throw in a little child or children who needs help and a unfeasibly attractive woman for Norman to fall in love with. So once this formula has been established it's very unusual to expect anything else. Not that The Square peg does a great deal different but it looses the child element and offers up instead, Wisdom in two roles. The first is his standard 'Pitkin' role and the second is the evil Nazi general. Sure he camps up the Nazi and plays it for all the laughs possible but this film is nothing more than comic brilliance. The scene between Wisdom in his two characters and Hattie Jaques as a Teutonic opera singer is staggeringly funny.

Another good comedy film from Norman Wisdom, the roadworks scenes outside the camp were good with the marching scene hilarious.

Norman gets sent to occupied France where he doubles for a Nazi General with the obvious mishaps and goings on.

Herbert Chapman does his first in partnership with Norman, and he fits the bill.

Look for early roles for Honor Blackman (recently deceased at 94, Hattie Jacques, Frank Williams, Richard Marner playing a German general (he played a German Colonel in 'Allo 'Allo). Victor Maddern and Oliver Reed.

Although we don't roar with laughter now , there are some 'classic¬ scenes:- 1. changing step when arrested and the others copy and lose step - quite clever. 2. best of all - the performance of the German lieder with the exaggerated German " Dein ist mein Hertz " - some professional singers roll about at that ! What a fantastic wide mouth. 3. During the scene with Hattie Jacques there is a fine touch of sexual innuendo for brief seconds. 4. No sentimental songs to interrupt the action. 5. His infatuation with Honor Blackman is not over done or carried though to the point of implausibility. So, although this is not his best film, it has one or two memorable, even "classic" moments. Worth watching - if only every 5 years !

This service comedy (another favorite situation with star comedians) - part army-base shenanigans and part dangerous mission - ranks as possibly the best Norman Wisdom vehicle there is, with a consistent string of often hilarious gags and the star - turning up again in drag and also appearing in a dual role (including one as a Nazi General) - in top form.

Supporting him are Edward Chapman (virtually rising to sidekick status here, he and Wisdom make an engaging comic pair), Honor Blackman (perhaps the most substantial of the star's leading ladies) and Hattie Jacques (as a German opera star).

Without a shadow of a doubt this is my favourite of Norman's films , hilarious from start to finish, featuring two of the funniest sequences of his films.

The scene where Pitkin interferes with the Army march is laugh out loud funny, but the crowning glory comes where Hattie Jacques plays the Opera singer, and Norman's two characters sing with her, it is a side splitting scene.

Wisdom is great, Jacques also, just wonderful.

Considering it's 1958 they skillfully got the two Normans on screen at the same time, it looks really good.

It looks amazing, great sets and costumes, it is a fantastic production.

Love it, 9/10.