A Stitch in Time

Once again, Norman Wisdom plays lovable klutz Norman Pitkin, raising Cain wherever he goes. In this case, he works for Mr. Grimsdale (Edward Chapman) in a meat store, when the place gets robbed. After a small snafu, Grimsdale gets sent to the hospital, and Pitkin accompanies him. In the hospital, Pitkin befriends orphan Lindy, but gets kicked out of the hospital.

Anyway, the whole movie has Pitkin getting himself into a series of loony situations, all the while getting on everyone's nerves. He's the very manifestation of the triumph of the underdog, how he inadvertently trashes the snobbish rich people's mores. In this case, he has a drag race on Grimsdale's bed, and later has to dress up as a nurse after a sticky situation (which was probably inserted to appeal to teenage boys). The movie culminates in a musical performance unlike any that you've ever seen.

All in all, it's something that you're sure to like. And some of those nurses were really hot!

"A Stitch in Time" is one of the later movies by British comedy actor Norman Wisdom. I think it is one of his better films. In this one, he had some touching scenes on a serious side, but these relate to the humor he brings in a hospital setting.

Norman Wisdom was a star of British cinema in the mid-20th century. He had a little bit of Jerry Lewis, some Red Skelton and come Lou Costello. But his character had much more and was his own. Three things distinguish Wisdom – his perpetual smile and happy attitude, his exceedingly high energy level, and his physical abilities.

In this film, Wisdom plays his familiar character, Norman Pitkin. Many other comedians used hospital settings in movie plots, and one can expect the same types of hilarious situations in this one. A hospital gurney race is one of the funniest I've ever seen. This film has some slapstick comedy to rival the best of early American comedy teams. And the musical ending is special.

The only sickness one could associate with A Stitch in Time would be laughter pains. I've not watched this film for a long time, but it is even funnier then I remember. When a robbery goes wrong in the Butcher's shop Mr Grimsdale lands up in Hospital, while Norman ends up causing mayhem throughout the hospital.

This glorious slapstick comedy had me in tears and fits of laughter, the sheer quality in writing, production, and of course performance transcends time, a film the whole family can enjoy, regardless of age. The wonderfully moving scene where Norman visits the sick girl, to the scream out loud funny scene where Norman dresses up as a Nurse, his performance is sensationally funny, that walk!

A joy from start to finish. 9/10

Even if the story is pretty standard and some parts get a little sentimental, A Stitch in Time is still a charming and funny slapstick comedy. A Stitch in Time is very well made, with nice cinematography and the film overall looks beautiful. The music by Phillip Green is beautiful as well, while there are some nice and funny touches in the screenplay. Not only that the set pieces are efficiently done and just add to the fun, with the slapstick very well timed. The pacing is just fine, the direction is good and the length I had no problem with either. And the acting is little to gripe about; Norman Wisdom is very winning in the title role, very innocent and likable, while Edward Chapman and Jerry Desmonde almost come close to stealing the film and Jeanette Sterke is really beautiful. Overall, classic slapstick comedy, that is very nice to watch while being funny as well. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Very funny and surprisingly well made film. Norman Wisdom does not put a foot wrong, well he does but he's supposed to! What is particularly gratifying here is that whilst Wisdom is his brilliant self, everybody else puts in excellent and thoughtful performances. There is none of the 'prima donna' stuff we tend to get in the 'Carry On' films of the period and everybody is mainly interested in making themselves look good. Peter Jones, for instance puts in a magnificent performance as a St Johns Ambulance Brigade leader in a little scene that becomes central to the whole film. From the very beginning in the butcher's shop the slapstick is immaculate and typified by the hospital trolley race, Wisdom's tone is some magical mix of the male desire to prove himself and wanting to be a little boy again.