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One Good Turn

  • 1955
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
711
YOUR RATING
Norman Wisdom in One Good Turn (1955)
Norman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood Children's Home and now acts as their caretaker. All the orphans are very happy and well cared for. The adventures start when a nasty property developer wants to close the orphanage and build a factory on the site.
Play trailer2:03
1 Video
7 Photos
SlapstickComedy

Norman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood Children's Home and now acts as their caretaker. All the orphans are very happy and well cared for. The adventures start when a nasty property develo... Read allNorman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood Children's Home and now acts as their caretaker. All the orphans are very happy and well cared for. The adventures start when a nasty property developer (boo hiss!) who is also the chairman of the orphanage board wants to close the orphana... Read allNorman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood Children's Home and now acts as their caretaker. All the orphans are very happy and well cared for. The adventures start when a nasty property developer (boo hiss!) who is also the chairman of the orphanage board wants to close the orphanage and build a factory on the site. The children are sent to Brighton for the day and Norm... Read all

  • Director
    • John Paddy Carstairs
  • Writers
    • John Paddy Carstairs
    • Sid Colin
    • Maurice Cowan
  • Stars
    • Norman Wisdom
    • Joan Rice
    • Shirley Abicair
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    711
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Paddy Carstairs
    • Writers
      • John Paddy Carstairs
      • Sid Colin
      • Maurice Cowan
    • Stars
      • Norman Wisdom
      • Joan Rice
      • Shirley Abicair
    • 14User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Trailer

    Photos6

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    Top Cast97

    Edit
    Norman Wisdom
    Norman Wisdom
    • Norman
    Joan Rice
    Joan Rice
    • Iris
    Shirley Abicair
    • Mary
    Thora Hird
    Thora Hird
    • Cook
    William Russell
    William Russell
    • Alec Bigley
    Joan Ingram
    Joan Ingram
    • Matron Sparrow
    Richard Caldicot
    Richard Caldicot
    • Mr. Bigley
    Marjorie Fender
    • Tuppeny
    Keith Gilman
    • Jimmy
    Noel Howlett
    Noel Howlett
    • Jeweller
    David Hurst
    David Hurst
    • Professor Dofee
    Harold Kasket
    • Ivor Petrovitch
    Ricky McCullough
    • Gunner Mac
    • (as Ricky Mc Cullough)
    Anthony Green
    • Martin
    • (as Antony Green)
    John Adams
    • Constable in Theatre
    • (uncredited)
    Chris Adcock
    • Stagehand
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Andrews
    • Boxing Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Jonathan Bailey
    • Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Paddy Carstairs
    • Writers
      • John Paddy Carstairs
      • Sid Colin
      • Maurice Cowan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    6.5711
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    Featured reviews

    7shaun_lime

    The car in the front shop window

    I'm so glad I came across norman wisdom when i was young because he's truly a Magnificent actor and great at his comedy acting and never gets old.

    I loved the film, a wonderful story and always love a good laugh and norman's films never fail to do that for me even when ive seen them all many times.

    There just don't make films like this anymore..
    8Sleepin_Dragon

    Sweet and funny.

    Norman agrees to buy a pricey toy car for a young lad at an Orphanage, and sets about earning the required amount.

    It is a truly lovely, sweet film, it has some very funny moments, the scene inside the first class carriage, and the orchestra conduction are works of pure brilliance.

    Lots of familiar faces, a young William Russell, a good few years before his break on Doctor Who, Thora Hird is lovely as Cook.

    Wisdom as always is just wonderful, a great actor, boundless charisma. 8/10.

    It's a joy.
    6michaelarmer

    One Good Film

    Well almost, Norman likes touching on the underdogs, the put down and the socially disadvantaged, this one sees him sticking up for Orphans, fortunately its not too cheesy, but its not great, not one of his best.

    Its more of a moral humorous comedy than a funny one, Wisdom gets up to his usual antics, but with a slightly serious angle, Norman was an orphan, so its a subject that's in his heart, its no coincidence this is the subject of his second film in, it was a life project. His whole life leading up to him being a star is around being an orphan and fighting for them, he did charity work in that line for many years after.

    But its still fairly good, look out for a character actor with the name of Thora Hird, a stalwart of British Film and TV.
    5Bunuel1976

    ONE GOOD TURN (John Paddy Carstairs, 1954) **

    As I had been expecting, the second Norman Wisdom vehicle was more of a sentimental comedy - since it finds him taking care of an orphanage (again, a favorite theme with star comedians) which is set to be torn down by ruthless developers - and, in fact, there is an excess of pathos present, especially in Norman's relationship with a lonely (and very uncharismatic) boy. However, on the upside, this turned out to be quite a plot-packed and gag-filled film, though it runs out of steam towards the end.

    The level of invention is certainly average (though already a few gags and plot details are reprised from its immediate predecessor, TROUBLE IN STORE [1953]), notably the trip to Brighton culminating in a marathon walk, Norman's hilarious stint as an orchestral conductor (even if it's a situation that's been done to death, and the subsequent destruction of the stage was practically ripped off The Marx Bros.' A NIGHT AT THE OPERA [1935]) and the star's myriad attempts to raise money in order to buy the boy a motor-car he had promised him.

    Interestingly, watching Wisdom at work here immediately after MORGAN - A SUITABLE CASE FOR TREATMENT (1966) irresistibly draws parallels with David Warner's own child-like behavior in that film (albeit dealt with, obviously, in a more adult manner).
    9gwilym49

    Probably the best of Wisdom's films.

    Probably the best of Norman Wisdom's films. Some extremely funny and clever scenes are seen in this work. For example, Wisdom fools around in a railway carriage in front of some very 'English' stuffed shirts. Also,(in one of the funniest scenes I have seen in any film) he stands in front of an orchestra waving a candy floss stick. The orchestra plays accordingly! There are some sentimental scenes also, which some viewers may find hard to take (as in all Wisdom's films). But, on the whole, a very funny film guaranteed to cheer you up when you are feeling down.

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    Related interests

    Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    Slapstick
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Hugh Stewart, who became Norman Wisdom's main producer, the film "was not particularly good. Paddy - who is very expert but only gets annoyed with people when they really don't know what they're talking about, wouldn't tolerate another film with Maurice."
    • Connections
      Featured in Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: British Comedy (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Please Opportunity
      Written by Norman Wisdom

      Performed by Norman Wisdom

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 17, 1955 (Portugal)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Veseli Norman
    • Filming locations
      • Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Maurice Cowan Productions
      • Two Cities Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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