Entertaining Mr Sloane

Joe Orton's classic play is bought to the big screen and features just 4 eccentric characters. Young lothario, arch manipulator and potentially murderer. McEnery cons his way into love starved Beryl Reid's house by a graveyard where she lives with her old father, Webb. All is well but McEnery needs his wits about him when Reid's gay businessman brother Harry Andrews arrives.

The script is all in this witty, very dark black comedy, although the performances are spot on with Reid wonderful as the sad, past it sex mad landlady and particularly Andrews in full military swagger preaching morals to McEnery whilst still longing to get into his pants. Hilarious.

If you haven't seen this superb film - put it to the top of your "must view" list! Featuring two of Britain's best character actors, the late Beryl Reid and the late Harry Andrews, this scintillating black comedy is based on Joe Orton's wonderful play of the same name. Reid is marvellous as aging nymphomaniac Kath and Harry Andrews provides a superb foil as her roue brother Ed, who both attempt to secure the sexual services of their libidinous lodger, Sloane (played by Peter McEnery). Set in an eerie graveyard lodgehouse and with Alan Webb as their grubby father this brilliant film has gained cult status since its release over 30 years ago and is the only film I can watch - and enjoy - repeatedly.

"Entertaining Mr Sloane" is regarded in some quarters as one of the great post-war British comedies though you would hardly think so after seeing this 1970 film version. It's not at all bad, is frequently very funny and its cast of four, (Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery and Alan Webb), give it all they've got. Reid and Andrews are siblings; she's a nymphomaniac and he's gay and McEnery is the eponymous Mr Sloane, the object of both their affections. Webb is their ancient father and it's he who rubs Mr Sloane up the wrong way. Douglas Hickox directed without much imagination, relying too heavily on the material. Entertaining it certainly is but great? Best you see it on stage before making up your mind.

ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE is certainly an uneven adaptation of the Joe Orton play, but it does create a few sparks with the performances of BERYL REID as Kath, PETER McENERY as Sloane and HARRY ANDREWS as Ed. The trio is involved in a three-way affair with Mr. Sloane who charms them both with his good looks and apparently bi-sexual leanings.

It's certainly not the usual fare one expects to see on screen, even in the '70s when the material was considered quite daring. But the script gives the three principals some rich material to work with and the film now has a cult status with fans of black comedy.

Orton is the gay playwright who was killed by his lover who then committed suicide and was dead before this film version of his hit London play was made. Whether he would have approved of some of the changes is debatable, but it still has the power to shock and cause ripples of laughter despite the darkness of the theme.

Summing up: As oddball as they come.

A worthy film adaptation from a farcical play by Joe Orton. Really as fresh as the day it was made and only dated in the most endearing of ways. To be honest I have never seen anything quite like it before or since and over the years it has certainly gained a strong, cult following. The cast including Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews and Mr Sloane himself, played by Peter McEnery, are all on great form. Top Entertainment from start to finish.