One Good Turn

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.

Norman is the oldest orphan at Greenwood's orphanage who now works there in return for free board. Norman is always trying to give the orphans a good life but all that is threatened when Mr Bigley announces he is going to sell the property for industrial use, Norman takes action to prevent the sale.

I'm not a huge Wisdom fan but I have seen many of this films. So I know that I do enjoy his brand of humour and know he can be really funny in a gentle way when the film allows him to be. Here the basic plot is only a step to several funny scenes – Norman entered in a walking race, Norman fleeing the police in a toy car, Norman in a train carriage with a group of upper-class stiffs etc. Most of the film is little to do with the plot described above. It's only the final scene where the orphans repel the adults that brings it back to the central idea, however that doesn't mean it's no good. My personal favourite is the scene where Norman gets mistaken for a conductor because he's holding a candy floss stick and gets bungled in front of an orchestra at a concert- again little to do with the plot, but still funny!

The actual set-ups for Wisdom to do his stuff are all pretty funny and don't feel forced despite not fitting naturally into the plot. The humour is gentle and when Norman is doing it he really gives his all. He'll never be respected like some other comedians but here he shows that he is a genius and can work gags well in his own style. In other films he has suffered from a lack of a good support cast, but here he is pretty much carrying the whole thing and does it very well. Some may dislike the cute kids aspect of the film but it's only the end where they get much input. Rice and Abicair are OK but it's nice to see a young Thora Hird before her stair-lift adverts paid her way!

Overall this is funny, gentle comedy Wisdom style. Those that hate his basic style will dislike this but fans will love it and it's good enough to win over new viewers. Definitely one of Wisdom's better films – and that's without the sterling support of regular's Desmonde and Chapman.

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.

Here in the film; One Good Turn, director; John Paddy Carstairs' focus appears to be on juxtaposing 1950s youth culture with Victorian philanthropic-style morality. In other words this film director looks at the up-and-coming democratic methods as illustrated by the children's anarchic actions pertaining to saving their home, which is an orphanage. This is pitted against pillar-of-the community-type figures who are not used to democracy where their authority and values are questioned by the new generation. This anarchic behaviour is further juxtaposed with Norman's innocent attitude to life.

The illustration of the insubordinate behaviour of young people is also illustrated well in films such as for example;The Blue Lamp (1950), albeit in a more serious and as such cynical way where the youths of the era are labelled as potentially dangerous. But this film along with One Good Turn are mere reflections of social change.

For my money J.P. Carstairs is the director who brings more to bare to Wisdom's acting and comic timing. As such One Good Turn is a far superior Wisdom outing than many of his later ones. For this reason it is an excellent choice for viewing.

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).