This movie debut for saucy British TV comic Benny Hill has Benny leaving his job as a sweeper after winning some money. He becomes a private detective and investigates a plot to assassinate ... Read allThis movie debut for saucy British TV comic Benny Hill has Benny leaving his job as a sweeper after winning some money. He becomes a private detective and investigates a plot to assassinate British scientists.This movie debut for saucy British TV comic Benny Hill has Benny leaving his job as a sweeper after winning some money. He becomes a private detective and investigates a plot to assassinate British scientists.
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Benny Hill as a private detective Hugo Dill is excellent for what it is. Nothing serious lots of gags, enjoyable on all accounts. Good fare for that type of Comedy out during those latter 50. And if you're a Benny Hill fan just sit back and enjoy the show. Naysayers go away.
Who Done It? is out of Ealing Studios, directed by Basil Dearden and written by T.E.B. Clarke. It stars Benny Hill, Belinda Lee, David Kossof, Gary Marsh, George Margo, Ernest Thesiger and Denis Shaw. Music is by Philip Green and cinematography by Otto Heller.
Benny Hill's first foray into film has him playing Hugo Dill, an Ice Rink attendant who dreams of one day becoming a detective like those in the magazines he reads. When he wins a competition that sees him land £100 and a Bloodhound! He promptly sets up his own detective agency, which provides colourful chaos...
It came out as Ealing Sudios was entering its last furlong, the great studio's wonderful comedies behind them, this very much feels like a last throw of the dice whilst giving Hill's career a timely push. As it happens, and as we now know, Hill would find his fame and fortune in Television and not on film. This s amiable stuff for those after a bit of slapstick and prat falling. Basically Hill is thrust into a murderous plot involving spies, where he's out of his depth and not aware of what is really going on half the time, which sets it all up for mishaps, misadventures and misunderstandings.
Love interest and muscle foil (seriously) comes via the gorgeous Belinda Lee, sadly to lose her life in a road accident five years later, whilst a number of well known British acting faces are in and around the plot so we can play spot the star. The number of chaotic scenes involving chases and destruction of events and property etc are well played out, with the obligatory speed framing technique showing its face as well, and it builds to a frenetic last quarter of film that culminates at the old West Ham Stadium, a location familiar to Stock Car/Speedway/Greyhound enthusiasts before its closure in 1972. It's a finale that saves the film and rewards those who have stayed with the pic throughout its daft formulaic throes. 6/10
Benny Hill's first foray into film has him playing Hugo Dill, an Ice Rink attendant who dreams of one day becoming a detective like those in the magazines he reads. When he wins a competition that sees him land £100 and a Bloodhound! He promptly sets up his own detective agency, which provides colourful chaos...
It came out as Ealing Sudios was entering its last furlong, the great studio's wonderful comedies behind them, this very much feels like a last throw of the dice whilst giving Hill's career a timely push. As it happens, and as we now know, Hill would find his fame and fortune in Television and not on film. This s amiable stuff for those after a bit of slapstick and prat falling. Basically Hill is thrust into a murderous plot involving spies, where he's out of his depth and not aware of what is really going on half the time, which sets it all up for mishaps, misadventures and misunderstandings.
Love interest and muscle foil (seriously) comes via the gorgeous Belinda Lee, sadly to lose her life in a road accident five years later, whilst a number of well known British acting faces are in and around the plot so we can play spot the star. The number of chaotic scenes involving chases and destruction of events and property etc are well played out, with the obligatory speed framing technique showing its face as well, and it builds to a frenetic last quarter of film that culminates at the old West Ham Stadium, a location familiar to Stock Car/Speedway/Greyhound enthusiasts before its closure in 1972. It's a finale that saves the film and rewards those who have stayed with the pic throughout its daft formulaic throes. 6/10
Benny Hill as a bumbling Private Eye? Oh yes, and his first film really shows us the beginnings of his massive comedic talents. While it is obviously a low budget production, the slapstick gags & rapid-fire quips will keep any Benny Hill fan in stitches. This film is also a great addition to any collection of his many fans as it reveals the "Funniest Man Alive" before he became so famous on TV. I bought a used DVD of this movie because it was all I could find available, but that's the nice thing about DVD's...they don't wear out like VHS tapes do. Not a film for people who prefer sophisticated, under-played humor, but if you like the 3 Stooges, Abbot & Costello, or Martin & Lewis, you're going to love "Who Done It?".
Benny Hill fans will enjoy this free-for-all nonsense about International espionage and a "secret weapon" developed by stereotypical Eastern-Block scientist. Benny, our likable hero, is a "Inspector Clouseau" type amateur detective, ready to tackle his first assignment: impersonate the famous professor, as part of the secret plan for the bad guys to rule the world.
The story is "formula" and thin as a satin thread, but an extra large helping of "Benny Hill" slap stick, complete with lots of pretty girls and the obligatory Benny-in-drag scenes, make this predictable vehicle hobble along. The final car chase on (are you ready for this?) a race track is totally stupid, but what did you expect? Given the 1950s mentality and the limited budgets available to produce a silly comedy, the objective was met. Today something similar would hope to recoupe it's investments in direct-to-video sales.
The story is "formula" and thin as a satin thread, but an extra large helping of "Benny Hill" slap stick, complete with lots of pretty girls and the obligatory Benny-in-drag scenes, make this predictable vehicle hobble along. The final car chase on (are you ready for this?) a race track is totally stupid, but what did you expect? Given the 1950s mentality and the limited budgets available to produce a silly comedy, the objective was met. Today something similar would hope to recoupe it's investments in direct-to-video sales.
Who Done It? Produced in 1956 stars Benny Hill as member of the chorus in a musical comedy on ice who enters a contest held by a mystery pulp magazine and wins a 100 Pounds & a blood hound. Due to typical Benny Hill high jinks he is fired from his skating job and so decides to get an office and become a privet eye. (would 100 pounds have gone that far even back then?) During his short career he happens on a gang of foreign spies & a scientist who has invented a machine that controls the weather, he also gets a girlfriend, played by the beautiful and tragically short lived Belinda Lee (She would die in an auto crash only five years after this film) who works as a stage strong girl. To be sure much slap follows there after. Who Done It rather reminded me of the sorts of films that Bob Hope or Danny Kaye use to make. With the introduction of the weather controlling device it reminded me a bit of the Avengers television series, only with the mod camp replace by hyperactive Benny Hill corn. I would not call it a practically out-standingly good or bad film. It's just one of those films that if you are in the mood for this sort of movie it's the sort of film that will match that mood.
Silly, none too bright, improbable, but with a laugh or two in it. And where else are you going to see Benny as a detective?
And yes he does end up in drag at one point.
Silly, none too bright, improbable, but with a laugh or two in it. And where else are you going to see Benny as a detective?
And yes he does end up in drag at one point.
Did you know
- TriviaOne of the Ealing Comedies series.
- GoofsWhen the heroine tosses a villain out the window, you can see he's being held up by a wire. Then, as he goes through it, the stuntman accidentally destroys the paper "wall" over the window.
- SoundtracksWho Done It?
(uncredited)
Music by Philip Green
Lyrics by Marcel Stellman
Sung by Benny Hill over main and end titles
- How long is Who Done It??Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Zehir Hafiye
- Filming locations
- London, England, UK(Final sequences, stock car racing.)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 25m(85 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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