A Home of Your Own

This masterful study of comic invention and timing is a must see for lovers of a good belly laugh and a remarkable observation of the "British workman" at his worst. Ronnie Barker as a frustrated concrete layer, Bernard Cribbins as a hapless stone mason, Bill Fraser as an, always peeing, ground worker and many more recognisable stars and bit players, all with their little comic moments. Satirical commentary on disorganisation and incompetence abounds, all watched over by a copper leaning on his bicycle. Of course this all predates health and safety rules and regulations, providing ample opportunity to indulge in shoddy workmanship and wild comic invention. The "burble" dialogue adds to the comedy and all the actors contribute to the merriment. Enjoy it in its entirety on YouTube and, occasionally, on TV.

A HOME OF YOUR OWN,released in the mid 1960's,started a trend of wordless featurette comedies in Britain(SAN FERRY ANN,THE PLANK,OUCH!,RHUBARB,etc.),and this,the first in such a style is arguably the best of them all.Jam-packed with familiar British comedy actors like Peter Butterworth,Bill Fraser,Bernard Cribbins and Richard Briers,it is sometimes a trifle repetitive and over-stretched,but has enough well-timed and genuinely amusing incident to linger in the mind long afterwards.Some of the situations and slapstick are perhaps rather obvious,but it is performed and directed with such vigour and panache that such minor quibbles are quickly forgotten.The undoubted highlight is a superbly done bit of comic business with the late,great Ronnie Barker as an increasingly enraged cement mixer.At this stage,Barker was still a relatively minor comic performer,but his work in this film helped his career further on to bigger things.His is probably the best performance out of many fine comic bits in the film.

It was originally released as a support feature to A SHOT IN THE DARK,the second 'Pink Panther' film featuring Peter Sellers and George Sanders.During the premiere,Sanders apparently told the film's producer Bob Kellett:''This film's bloody better that ours!.....''.An assessment that is perhaps a trifle unfair as A SHOT IN THE DARK undoubtedly has it's share of very funny scenes,but A HOME OF YOUR OWN is shorter and arguably a little sweeter.

I saw this movie first run at the Guild Theater on 50th Street in New York, around the corner of Radio City Music Hall. It was the bottom half of a forgettable double bill with an Aldo Ray movie entitled Johnny Nobody.

My father, mother, sister and I wanted to go to the show at the Music Hall but it was sold out. So, we went to the Guild. We used to see the best comedies there...all of the Ealing comedies would play there...Carry On, I'm Alright, Jack...Kill or Cure, Two-Way Stretch, etc.

So we endure the first Aldo Ray movie and then A Home of Your Own begins and seriously, on my word of honor, we laughed so hard and so loud, that the Guild's usher threatened to throw us out of the theater. It rocked us so hard that we still...40 years later...consider it the funniest motion picture we have ever seen.

I recently contacted Gannet Films and they are considering a general video and DVD release possibly late 2005.

It would make my parents very happy as they are now well into their upper 80s! We've been looking for it for 40 years.

I can only imagine reading the script and laughing out loud.

He signs the contract for the architect-designed home to be built. He slips the ring on her finger. By the time they move into the house with their four children and another on the way, the workmen have come and gone -- well almost gone. We get to watch them at work, in between the frequent tea breaks.

There are a lot of polished comic actors on wordless view here. Bernard Cribbins gets a running gag as a stone mason with a good payoff. Ronnie Barker is driven mad as a perfectionist cement mixer whose work is tromped on before it can set. Ronnie Stevens takes a lot of physical abuse as the architect who best laid plans gang agley. Best, for my taste, is Peter Butterworth as an inept carpenter who looks like he was sketched by John Tenniel. Over ll, a funny gag and satire on the current state of the building trades in 1960s Britain.

The existing reviews of this film identify many of the points which make this a really enjoyable way to spend 45 minutes. The film is a wonderful time capsule, showing how houses were built in the UK in the 1960s. The film has a lovely collection of familiar faces from the world of British comedy.

What has not been mentioned is the sound track. This is one of the iconic "silent" comedy films of the 1960s, two of the others include San Ferry Ann and The Plank, but this is probably the original and best. The score for this film was by the accomplished Ron Goodwin, who found most fame for composing for war films (633 Squadron and Battle of Britain) and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. The music adds greatly to this film, with various themes being used for each of the characters. The music is well arranged to fit in with what is happening on the screen, and adds to the humour. Ron would later go on to conduct the music for San Ferry Ann and to compose the music for The Early Bird (a Norman Wisdom comedy which has a near 15 minute 'silent' introduction).

This is a great little film and highly recommended.