Man About the House (film)
Man About the House is a 1974 British comedy film, a spinoff of the sitcom of the same name, starring all of the main cast of the series. It was the last in a series of big screen adaptations of popular TV shows made by Hammer Films[1] although a film of George & Mildred (featuring Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy in the title roles) would be made in 1980 by another studio.
| Man About the House | |
|---|---|
.jpg) UK theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | John Robins |
| Produced by | Roy Skeggs |
| Written by | Johnnie Mortimer Brian Cooke |
| Based on | Man About the House by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke |
| Starring | Richard O'Sullivan Paula Wilcox Sally Thomsett Yootha Joyce Brian Murphy |
| Music by | Christopher Gunning |
| Cinematography | James Allen |
| Edited by | Archie Ludski |
Production company | Hammer Films |
| Distributed by | EMI Films |
Release date | 22 December 1974 |
Running time | 90 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £90,000 (London area)[1] |
Plot
The Ropers learn that Mr Pluthero, an estate agent & developer, wants to buy their building. The roommates circulate a petition to stop the development which attracts the interest of MP Sir Edmund, who keeps a mistress in the building.
Cast
- Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp
- Paula Wilcox as Chrissy Plummer
- Sally Thomsett as Jo
- Yootha Joyce as Mrs Roper
- Brian Murphy as Mr Roper
- Peter Cellier as Morris Pluthero
- Doug Fisher as Larry Simmonds
- Arthur Lowe as Mr Spiros
- Bill Maynard as Chef
- Aimi MacDonald as Hazel Lovett
- Patrick Newell as Sir Edmund Weir
- Andria Lawrence as Miss Amelia Bird
- Bill Grundy as the Interviewer
- Michael Ward as Mr Gideon
- Julian Orchard as the Producer
- Aubrey Morris as the Lecturer
- Bill Pertwee as the Postman
- Johnny Briggs as the Milkman
- Melvyn Hayes as Nigel
- Berry Cornish as the P.A.
- Bill Sawyer as the Chauffeur
- Mark Rogers as Boy Scout
- Pauline Peart as the Secretary
- Arthur Hewlett as the Elderly Man
- Annie Leake as the Tweedy Lady
- Corinne Skinner as the Housewife
- Michael Robbins as the Doorman
- Norman Mitchell as Arthur Mulgrove
- Jack Smethurst, Rudolph Walker and Spike Milligan as themselves
Production
The film started shooting in March 1974 at Elstree Studios in London, finishing on 12 April.[2]
Reception
The film was a hit, taking £90,000 in London alone.[1]
The critics were less impressed, with David Parkinson writing in the Radio Times, "great cast, shame about the script...The material is thinner than a bedsit wall."[3]
References
- Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio, Hammer films: An exhaustive filmography, McFarland, 1996. p375.
- Alan Barnes & Marcus Hearn, The hammer story: The authorised history of Hammer films, Titan books, 2007. p 151.
- "Man about the House | Film review and movie reviews". Radio Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.