Man About the House (1974) Online

A film spin off from the hugely popular British situation comedy of the same name, it stars Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. When a development company tries to buy all the houses in their street, flatmates Robin, Chrissy and Jo decide to help their landlords in staving off the buy out.

The material here is sadly too thin that it wastes what was always a damn fine cast. The sexy spark between Robin and the two girls is still there, and Mildred's (Joyce) sexual frustration with hubby George (Murphy) continues; with an interesting twist added a film's culmination, yet it's all very tired and short on laughs. You know you are trouble when you have to resort to a gastric stomach problem to hang your big laugh sequence on. Still, the cast are always watchable (I have been in love and lust with Wilcox since forever), while small appearances by Arthur Lowe and Spike Milligan are most welcome diversions from the poor screenplay. 5/10

One year after its launch, 'Man About The House' was filmed by Hammer. All the original cast were present and correct, and at least the characters stayed on home territory rather than flying off to Spain. But the 'opening out' of the format to encompass new characters such as the nymphomaniac Miss Bird ( Andrea Lawrence ) and the gay couple played by Michael Ward and Melvyn Hayes diluted the premise. The plot about the unscrupulous property developer was old hat even in 1974. The production designer seems not to have seen the show, as his sets don't resemble the television versions. The Ropers' sitting room is located on the left of the front door, not the right. The finale in the Thames Television building is silly and looks like an lame attempt to publicise the company's other shows. Nice cameo from Spike Milligan, though. The only redeeming features are Arthur Lowe as the tycoon and Peter Cellier as his slimy sidekick. Get a D.V.D. of the T.V. show instead.

I have always been a big fan of the TV series Man About the House, and have in recent years watched many episodes again on DVD. They are still funny, with many laugh out loud moments.

Well I have finally seen the movie version.

All the main cast and the semi regular Doug Fisher (Larry) appear. The chemistry between the characters largely remains, but the filmed format with muted colours, wider-framed shots and no studio audience, gives the film a less intimate feel. When compared to the original video of the series, much of the warmth and cosiness seems missing.

But the film's main problem is that the story is much too thin (much the same premise as the TV episode "We Shall Not Be Moved") for a feature film. There are no real sub-plots, just the one main story which occupies all the characters. Therefore there is much padding and repetition, and the jokes and situations are all drawn out, weakening their impact and slowing the pace of the film. With the meandering pace, none of the elements really work. The jokes, drawn out within the longer scenes of a feature film, mostly fall flat.

The film opens out the action, introducing some other residents of the row of houses, but these characters (the effeminate gay couple, the lusty nympho, the kept mistress) are such obvious stereotypes that they don't really work. Likewise the location shots like Larry's hazardous driving fail to add much.

'Man About The House' topped the Thames Television ratings when it first appeared in 1973. Indeed, it was so well liked that in its first year, a special sketch was made specially for that year's edition of 'All Star Comedy Carnival', so it seemed inevitable that a feature film based on the show would appear, and sure enough it did. 'Man About The House' went on release in 1974. The entire cast were retained. Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke fleshed out the premise, though John Robins produced and directed. With these plus points, 'Man About The House' should have been good. Sadly, it was not. 'Man About The House', whilst not spectacularly bad, was on the whole very mediocre.

It starts off with Robin getting a job as an assistant chef at a grotty restaurant where the head chef ( played by Bill Maynard ) is so filthy he makes 'Rab C. Nesbitt' look like Gordon Gekko. The rest of the plot ( if you are able to call it that ) focuses on the attempts of unscrupulous property developer Mr. Pluthero to make a compulsory purchase order on the properties in Mydellton Terrace to demolish them and make way for office buildings. George is only too happy to sell the house but Mildred is adamant that they are staying put.

Robin, Chrissy and Jo meanwhile have made up a petition in order to save the street from demolition. Pluthero, desperate to get Chrissy to change her mind and sell up, attempts to wine and dine her but the meal ends in disaster after Robin sabotages his meal which results in him having to run to the toilet every two minutes.

'Man About The House' is patchy and disjointed. If made as a thirty minute episode, it may have worked but expanded into a 90 minute format it was a bit much. Peter Cellier ( who played the lecherous Major in 'Keeping Up Appearances' ) is Mr. Pluthero. Arthur Lowe, of 'Dad's Army' fame plays his moon faced boss. Sadly, their presence was not enough to bring the film to life. The presence of Andrea Lawrence as the nympho neighbour and Aimi McDonald ( who many will probably remember from 'At Last The 1948 Show' ) as a mistress do not help matters either.

There are some good cameo appearances from the likes of Spike Milligan, Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker. It's just a pity the film isn't really worthy of their talents.

I don't hate this movie personally but it is not unjust to say that it is pale ( almost anaemic in fact ) in comparison with its television counterpart.

Funniest bit - George, scuttling around the bar at Thames Television, bumps into Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker from 'Love Thy Neighbour'. Recognising Walker, George greets him with: ''Hey, I know your face, you're s*mbo the n*g n*g off the telly, aren't you!''.

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE is another Hammer Films version of a popular TV series, this time about the misadventures of a trio of twentysomethings sharing an apartment in London. I took an instant dislike to this film thanks to the lank-haired layabout lead, Richard O'Sullivan, who seems to spend his whole time putting down women and coming out with un-PC humour.

The film as a whole doesn't transfer to the format as well as Hammer's ON THE BUSES trilogy and it feels instead rather like a padded-out episode of the TV show. The loose storyline involves some unscrupulous developers attempting to knock down the abode of our characters, so they decide to fight back. Some very broad comedy, involving endless games of strip poker and monopoly and laxatives, follows.

The humour is sometimes funny but seems to be rather mild and restrained for the most part, although it does have its moments. The romance stuff between the leads is pretty boring, although it is fun to see Sally Thomsett (THE RAILWAY CHILDREN) playing somebody her own age just four years after masquerading as a kid in that childhood classic. As ever, the endless cameos (Bill Pertwee, Bill Maynard, Arthur Lowe, Spike Milligan) are the highlight here.

The entire main cast of the series are involved. The Film could be an extended episode of the series, which is always a plus in my opinion. The series has been shown regularly on Paramount 2 & UK Gold (or Granada Plus)The show always brings a smile to my face and uplifts my spirits. I think this is due to the fact that it takes me back to the simpler happy days of my youth; mind you those 70's fashion styles do make me cringe sometimes. There are some duplication of certain actors in the series. I only noticed them when I watched the repeats en bloc. Norman Eshley (actor) plays a unfaithful husband who dates Chrissy (Paula Wilcox)in one of the early episodes, then turns up as Robins (Richard O'Sullivan) brother in the last series and ends up marrying Chrissy at the end of the series. John Carlin plays Larrys (Doug Fisher) Landlord before Larry moves to the Ropers and then turns up in a later episode as a Barman in the local. I was sorry to hear of the passing of Doug Fisher. He added much to the series as Robins friend a 'Jack the Lad' character.

Saw it again recently only they cut out the banter between George and Rudolph Walker and Jack Smethurst, Brian Murphy was later in last of the summer wine only he was the same character and no longer called George

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE was a slightly risqué popular sit com with a Jack the lad type sharing a flat with two girls one an intelligent red head and the other a blond bimbo . I was never too keen on the show and thought the two spin offs ROBIN'S NEST and GEORGE & MILDRED were better comedies . The problem I think I had was that it was unsophisticated and this feature film version reflects this . Check out this sample of dialogue:

" The girls have just put a new lock on the door "

" Really "

" Yeah . That's to stop me getting out of their bedroom "

Hmmm I guess feminists won't be queuing to watch this . But to give it some credit it was never a show that claimed to be sophisticated and this film version stays true to its bawdy roots without going overboard . The very vague plot revolves a property developer wanting to buy out the tenants and we are treated to a fairly amusing sequence where the villain has laxatives put into his meal . We're also treated to cameo appearances from very well known comedy faces at the time including Spike Milligan , but the show stopping moment involves the two protagonists from LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR a legendary TV show that is totally despised by the PC brigade for its alleged racism:

" What do you want to drink old friend ? "

" I'll have a white lady "

" Pardon ? "

A sometimes amusing and completely low brow comedy

Man About the House was an hilarious film and a spin off from a wonderful series. Cleverly written by that great duo Cooke & Mortimer, the humour is ageless and well put across by Richard O'Sullivan and Paula Wilcox whose timing was impeccable. Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy provide excellent foils and watch out for some of the up and coming British starlets cameo-ing in different episodes of the series. The entire cast did extremely well, considering that they had to carry the 'unfortunate' acting ability of Sally Thomsett along with them.

'George and Mildred', another spin off from this movie and series was funnier but lacked the situations. It did, however, show the raw talents of Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy to their fullest.