The Wedding Party

I saw this episode when I was a child and because there was so much sexual innuendo the episode went right over my head . Sure I knew it was funny but didn't realise the reasons why it was funny . It's difficult to believe that a large audience would be watching this episode for the very first time but if they did they too may be puzzled by it and not for entirely different reasons

The reason is the world has moved on from the mid 1970s and rightly or wrongly we live in more liberal times . A young unmarried couple booking a room for the primary reason of sex wouldn't cause anyone to bat an eyelid . Not so in the mid 1970s when puritan hotel owners who drool over the editorial of the Daily Mail and feeling unclean walking past The News Of The World stand on a Sunday morning would expel any unmarried amorous couple and then close the hotel for a few hours while they fumigate the rooms

Bare this in mind and you'll have a lot of fun watching this episode which revolves around a comedy of errors and innuendo , in other words classic British comedy . The episode relies upon a bit too much coincidence of someone being in the right place and doing something to push the plot along but it's FAWLTY TOWERS so any small contrivance is forgivable . It also contains one of Basil's classic lines as he thinks up a quick witted excuse - " Oh what a terrible nightmare "

Basil is convinced several guests are engaging in inappropriate behaviour inside the hotel.

This episode is one of the best sexually themed comedies I have ever seen. Most of the jokes revolve around characters hilariously misinterpreting situations where sex is not actually happening.

As you can imagine Basil has a puritanical view on the subject that is driven by the frustration of his own marriage. This leads him to all manner of outrageous behaviour including spying on his guests, jumping to conclusions and ironically being in a number of seemingly compromising positions.

There are a number of classic moments, probably the standout part for me is when Basil believes an amorous French lady to be outside his bedroom door when it is in fact Cybil. The way he gets himself out of trouble here is brilliant.

John Cleese gives another incredible performance and is supported well by the regular cast, particularly Andrew Sachs as a drunk Manuel celebrating his birthday.

Fawlty Towers does bedroom farce, with hotel owner Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) mistakenly believing that his current guests, a young unmarried couple and an older couple, are swingers indulging in morally dubious sexual conduct, even involving pretty maid Polly (Connie Booth).

Desperate to maintain a respectable establishment, Basil goes into manic overdrive, ultimately ordering his guests to leave and sacking Polly. When Sybil eventually explains to Basil that the young woman is actually the older couple's daughter and that Polly is an old school friend, the result is another perfectly executed emotional breakdown from Cleese.

Lots of great situation comedy makes this episode a winner, including Basil being repeatedly caught by his guests in compromising positions with waiter Manuel, and Basil trying to avoid amorous antiques dealer Mrs. Peignoir (Yvonne Gilan). The sight of Polly in a tight T-shirt and stripped to her underwear doesn't hurt either.

I like the bit where he hits manual really hard with a frying pan

In this episode Basil is led to believe that a group of sex maniacs are staying in his hotel. He is appalled by this, and tries to ruin their so called plans. Misunderstanding runs in the hotel as Basil himself is believed to be engaging bizarre sexual act with Manuel. I could not stop laughing as Basil tried to prevent a woman from seeing her husband "cheating" her with Polly - it was great! and also when John Cleese (Basil) accidentally knock out Andrew Sachs (Manuel) during the end scene where Basil hits Manuel over the head with a frying pan, thinking he was an intruder. One of the best episodes of the only 12 made. (Although they say there is a secret 13th episode somewhere).