Up the Creek

Not the funniest film ever made but it's entertaining enough throughout its running time. This film probably has some basis in fact as the UK armed forces are well known for the enormous wasting of money on equipment that is of poor quality or does not operate as it should so forgetting about a ship for a few years is entirely possible.

I'm not all that keen on farce films but this one was OK as it wasn't overdone as it often the case, more of a situation comedy than an all out farce.

Worth watching by fans of 1950s UK comedies featuring an early appearance of Peter Sellers who had not yet fully developed the type that he became famous for later that I don't enjoy watching, so he was OK in this.

One of a hoard of service comedies that hit the British cinema screens in the late '50's, early '60's, 'Up The Creek' is far from being the best or most memorable. Basically it is a cross between radio's 'The Navy Lark' and the later 'Watch Your Stern' , with a bit of 'Bilko' mixed in, as 'silly ass' David Tomlinson, a rocket mad navy officer, is given command of a navy vessel and forced to contend with the schemes of his Chief Petty Officer (Peter Sellers).

Sellers is perhaps the main reason for watching this movie and its fun to see him in this, his very first starring role. But, to be honest, it's probably his least memorable performance of this period, never reaching the heights of his work in 'The Naked Truth' or 'The Battle Of The Sexes' (to name just two).

A good supporting cast helps deliver the laughs, while the under-rated Val Guest directs efficiently. The movie is fun while it is on, but ultimately it is a bit anonymous (it could be any one of a number of similar movies) and fails to live on in the memory.

Val Guest directs this movie that owes a debt to Sergeant Bilko from The Phil Silvers Show.

Peter Sellers is Chief Petty Officer Doherty running get rich schemes on the understaffed mothballed Royal Navy vessel, HMS Berkeley.

It has had no commanding officer for several years and moored at a wharf near the village of Meadows End. The small crew keep animals. They sell naval rum and cigarettes to the local pub. Make food and do the laundry for the villagers. Doherty even claims wages for some non existent crew members.

All this is about to come to an end when hapless Lt Humphrey Fairweather (David Tomlinson) is posted there by the horse racing mad Admiral.

Fairweather caused chaos and damage with each rocket he builds as a sideline. This is a way to keep him out of harms way.

Having not much idea in commanding a ship, Doherty connives Fairweather to let him continue with his schemes. Then one day the Admirals visits for a surprise inspection.

There is not much comedy or much originality. The story is threadbare but worth watching for an early appearance by Peter Sellers.

As has been mentioned by a previous reviewer,Val Guest,a co writer for Oh Mr Porter,has used some of the situations and lines from Oh Mr Porter in this film. The problem is that unlike Oh Mr Porter this film is not very funny. Furthermore David Tomlinson,who had high opinion of himself,which i do not share is no match for Will Hay. Peter Sellers gives a rather bland and disappointing performance particularly when compared with his performance in The Naked Truth. There are a lot of reliable character actors on hand to give him support such as Lionel jeffries,Sam kydd,Wilfred Hyde White. For some reason,probably economy,a completely unkown continental actress was chosen for the female lead. Mediocre at best.

This is the same story as Oh Mr Porter ! In which an incompetent idiot gets posted to a sleepy location to keep him out of harms way. He then becomes involved in all sorts of trouble.

Val Guest, the director, was one of the writers on the original and even copies a couple of lines word-for-word. The other film is a true classic and this one is interesting but that's all. There were many films produced around this time often containing the same group of actors. Lionel Jeffries, David Lodge, Sam Kydd (of course), Patrick Cargill, and others. It's always good to see David Tomlinson and Wilfred Hyde-White. Peter Seller's character doesn't work, at least, for me. I was pleased to see it.