Convict 99

Will Hay starring once again with trusty second bananas Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt plays a schoolmaster who's been kicked out of his last employment. Seeking a new job he's made governor (warden to us Yanks) of a prison. But through a wonderful series of mishaps arrives much like Robert Redford did in Brubaker. Takes them a while before they realize he is the new governor.

Once there the prisoners realize that they've got themselves a Captain Parmenter like pigeon. Hay's so stupid and so full of himself he thinks he's doing grand things. The cons realize that if they just make him look good they can turn the place into a country club and do.

Marriott plays a lifer who has tunneled just about everywhere in the system, but hasn't escaped yet. Moffatt plays a simple and trusting prison guard. All three are bloody marvelous as the British would say.

"Conflict 99' is an enjoyable prison farce that puts one in mind of the 3 Stooges and Laurel and Hardy at their comedic best in the Thirties. Will Hay plays a school master turned convict turned warden in all less than 90 minutes. Moore Marriot is a stitch as 'Jerry the Mole,' an ancient forever breaking through walls and floors as he attempts to tunnel himself out. The great Graham Moffatt is on board as a high-pitched prison guard. I am an American who has developed a keen taste for British comedy, so I'm not sure how much many of my countrymen will get out of this one but it's worth a risk. I think this film compares favorably with the 5 other Hay, Marriot and Moffatt films that I have viewed on-line.

When it turns out that "Twist" (Will Hay) is no good as an headmaster he is turfed out and looking for a new job! An administrative mix up sees him appointed the governor a prison, and after another which sees him temporarily behind the bars, he tries to ingratiate himself with the prisoners and, predictably, they run rings round him as he is soon well out of his depth. Will Hay had good comedy timing and together with a decent cast of regulars manages to raise a laugh or two, but the film is way too long and the joke doesn't really sustain it for ninety minutes. That said, though, it is still quite watchable, if only to remind us was made us laugh in the simpler, less cynical days before the second world war.

What better compliment can I give it to say that, yes, it's not as funny or as well directed as "Oh, Mr Porter" and yes, Moffat and Marriott are underused, but it is still a Will Hay classic, and to my opinion its his second best movie.

The plot is basic - Hay becomes in charge of a prison by mistake, having the same first name as the new governor's last name... he arrives drunk and gets mixed up with a new batch of prisoners...one (number 99) escapes in the process and the guards think Hay is Convict 99... 99 is recaptured and Hay then takes up his position as governor...prisoners run the prison...99 escapes with Hay's money...prisoners escape, get the money back and break into the bank to give Hay back his money.

Okay so it makes little sense, but it is fun to watch!

...but yet SO ridiculous that it draws you in and you have to stay watching to see what happens.

Benjamin Twist was a school master, and he's at this agency wanting a job in a school for reformed boys. But a general misunderstanding/mistaken identity gets him instead a different job, that of a prison governor! You see the man they wanted for the job is called Mr. Benjamin, as in *last* name Benjamin. So when everyone starts calling Mr. Twist 'Benjamin' (which is his first name), he just calls them all by their first names back and they all think he's such a riot. He does eventually realise their mistake, but at the same time finds out that the job pays £2000 a year; where the job he was actually after only pays £75. Well, being a prison warden isn't THAT much different from being schoolmaster to difficult boys, is it...