
The BFI has dusted off its shelves for a new slate of dvd releases as part of the Adelphi Film Collection - promising a batch of curios from the catalogues of the long-forgotten British film company. Together with the current Flipside label, the BFI are firmly reawakening interest and spreading awareness in British cinema of the 50s and 60s. For me its a thrill to be able to see beautiful restorations and rare films I wondered if I'd ever catch - films I'm familiar with by name (or by advertising) from my own research on cinema of the period.
Penny Points To Paradise is a particular treat, effectively a Goon Show film without the presence of Michael Bentine (Bentine would be on hand for 1952's Down Among The Z Men). Any screen appearance with Milligan, Sellers and Secombe is essential watching for Goon fans, and whilst probably quite dated to audiences today, are essential viewing for anyone looking into the history of British comedy. The Goons are the forerunners of Vic and Bob, League of Gentlemen, Monty Python... comedy today would be very different.
Penny Points doesn't quite bring the zaniness of the Goons over to film (not even The Telegoons really managed that) but there's something of the stock in trade of Goon plots as Harry plays the halfwit lead, enriched by a win on the pools accompanied by Spike in a B&B in Brighton. There they are faced with criminals set on stealing the money from them as well as various other well-doers (Sellers amongst them).
The film has been largely forgotten, and only available in an edited version until the BFI's restoration this year. The glimpses of a bygone Britain sit well with the releases of Primitive London and London In The Raw (also by BFI this summer). Sellers rather steals the show with his proto-Bloodnock.
In fact the entire release is a celebration of Sellers as the BFI have also issued two additional features as special features on the disc.
Alongside the 68 minute Penny Points, is the short 31 minute Let's Go Crazy. A truly bizarre little filler with Milligan in some straight supporting parts, and Sellers in a variety of guises (including Groucho Marx) in Goon-like sketches, broken up with musical numbers from the likes of Freddie Mirfield and his Garbage Men (a truly wonderful comedy-musical troupe). There's little plot, other than the whole thing takes place at dinner in a club. Sellers works his ass off here in a variety of personas, and something of his talent is evident. There's a strange dance routine too between a peculiar middle-aged couple which sticks in the memory long after viewing is through.
The restoration work on Let's Go Crazy is first class. Both this and Penny Points have been sourced from a variety of 16mm and 35mm sources. This leaves for inconsistency in picture, but when it provides an intact film who can complain?!
The surprise delight though is the inclusion of The Slappiest Days of Our Lives, a 73 minute compilation of classic Hollywood comedy put together in 1953. It seems to be a French compilation that Adelphi re-dubbed for the English market, bringing together disparate films from Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy. Sellers voices most of the actors, with narration in the guise of Stan Laurel (which he has spot-on). Graham Stark may be one of the other voice artists according to the BFI Film & TV Database.
The 50s saw a wave of these re-issues and new compilations, allowing the silent stars a rediscovery in the cinemas as opposed to on the new tiny television screens. Few have made their way to dvd so the BFI should be congratulated on including this.
Rounding off the package on both DVD and Blu-Ray is a comprehensive and informative booklet detailing the history of the films, restoration and of Adelphi itself.
A mixed bag entertainment wise, but a crucial purchase all the same.
Penny Points to Paradise
BFI Release - 3 August 2009
DVD RRP £17.99 / cat. no. BFIVD843 / 172 mins / DVD-9
Blu-ray RRP £22.99 / cat. no. BFIB1028 / 182 mins / BD50 / region free
UK / 1951 / PG / black and white / English, optional hard-of-hearing subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.33:1