Did anybody else think it was a terrible, terrible movie?
I tried to read the book when I was about 14 and obsessed with death, coffins etc but found it a bore. I finally got round to seeing the movie this week.
I must say Channel 5 showed an absolutely beautiful print - the colours and defintion were oustanding (Michael Caine's eyes have never looked so blue). But that was the only positive in this for me. Right from the opening scene, with the solicitor and his assistant hammily reading out the terms of the tontine, it was a fiesta of eye-rolling, thigh-slapping overacting and ham-o-rama.
All those luvvies obviously had a whale of a time making it, but I was left feeling like I had my nose pressed against the glass of a window whilst a fabulous party went on inside. You can see them trying to outdo each other in the slapstick stakes - the scene with Mills and Richardson in the bedroom is excruciating. Caine plays it quite restrained, but that's all...everywhere else people are trampling over each other to get in front of the camera, blow their cheeks out and throw their arms in the air. It's a painful watch.
Is it me or is the "racing hearses" scene a cliche in comedy films? During the climactic chase where the band keeps "changing its tune" (again...and again...), I could happily have put my boot through the screen (my wife was watching it though - the only reason I stuck with it).
And finally, how sad to see poor Tony Hancock giving such a weary, bleary performance. It looks like he was really struggling with alcohol at the time, but the way he is introduced (back to the camera, then turns around, almost with a ta-daaah!) shows what a superstar he was at the time.
Now please don't "flame" me - we're not talking about The Dark Knight or Twilight here!