Please Sir!

March 2022

I though i had already reviewed this last year, but i havent, so having recently watched the series here we go.

I love this film and have watched it loads, i put in on par with the film version of bless this house from the same time period, which also had a tv series to go with it.

Loads of fun, very easy viewing and fun for all the family. I am glad to say certain things from the film were continued when they went back to the series, so that was a good thing, and many of the same actors were the same ones from the series and film.

John Alderton stars as the schoolteacher trying to keep control on his bunch of loveable rogues.

Good stuff, and far superior to the series

9 out of 10.

I have never watched the TV series, so I am going in cold on this one. This is a thoroughly enjoyable early 70's British film about a teacher Mr. Hedges, played well by John Alderton, who takes his fifth form, lower middle class upbringing class to a rural center for two weeks. Part of the fun is waiting for this to happen, as you know things will go on once they're out of London. The best thing is, things do, but nothing lewd or purely criminal just fun. The movie keeps a good rhythm throughout and I felt no need to turn it off or do anything except watch and enjoy. I'm sure if you are a fan of the series you'll like this even more. For me, a novice, I still found it well worth watching. I think you will also.

I attended comprehensive schools and the behaviour of pupils reflect the antics this film tries to portray. I thoroughly enjoyed this film it brought back many fond memories of another decade,

As the film ' please Sir 1971', was In the stages of pre production the filmmakers and the writers of the television series which it was spawned from were becoming aware that the pupils of 5C were much older than the characters they were playing on screen all in their 20s and some were approaching 30s, the filmmakers deciding to give 5C a perfect sendoff in the form of a feature film.

After an appalling display of behaviour in a class assembly the teacher Bernard Hedges played by John Alderton finds out that because of their track record of being mischievous little tikes 5C haven't been allowed to go on the schools previous class trips. After some debilitating discussions amidst the staff and Bernard he manages to persuade them by the skin of their teeth to allow them to come along to a rural activity centre.

A formulaic plot structure involving sitcoms In the old days 1960s and 1970s was to take the characters on Holiday where a lot of carry on esque high Jinks would occur.

This film takes the characters into a new location, introduces a whole new load of people into the mix sprinkled with the odd carry on esque one liner and the result Is a wonderful comedy which never takes itself to seriously.

John Alderton is excellent again as the put upon teacher Hedges and the romance which develops between himself and a local woman named Penny is a nice change of scenery. His pupils are appealing in small doses it's a shame that most of them didn't make the transition from young actor to adult actor very well and didn't get as many opportunities to progress in their careers.

Malcolm McFee, Peter cleall, Peter Denyer, David Barry and Liz Gerhardt all turn in very watchable and engaging performances.

Overall: a very good sitcom film one of the better versions released during the screen to cinema movie boom.

I can't say enough about how wonderful I think this film, and the TV series is. It is just so incredibly FUNNY! All your fave characters are in it - Hedges, played by John Alderton is as gorgeous as ever (yes, I do like him!), Potter the caretaker is played by the hilarious Deryck Guyler and the hopeless headmaster Cromwell is played by Noel Howlett. Not forgetting the pupils of 5C of course! This is a must for all fans of the show, and it explains how Bernard met Penny for the first time. All teachers must watch this film! EVERYONE must watch this film!