The Sandwich Man

This film was a strange choice for Michael Bentine, who had made a reputation for himself as a crazy, surreal comedian with a penchant for elaborate mechanical sets in TV programmes like It's A Square World. This gentle comedy, in which he takes a back seat and merely links a number of set pieces by prominent British actors and comedians of the 1960s is out of character, but nevertheless warm and enjoyable. Inevitably the humour has dated over the years, but it remains a valuable document of life in London as it became "swinging" and a chance to see many well-known artists who went on to greater things, and a few who didn't. To be enjoyed as a time capsule now, rather than cutting edge comedy.

A simple idea that fails spectacularly BUT 50+ years later it is a gem. Spot the stars and supporting actors from the 60s. They are nearly in every shot!

Worth a six just to see London how it was in the 1960's... So many National Treasures in one film... Sadly most of them are long gone... Think Bernard Cribbins is the only one left in 2022... Quirky and worth a watch on a miserable winter afternoon...

This is quite a strange and eccentric movie and parts of it will look very strange to modern audiences.

In particular, the racial stereotyping which nowadays will be regarded by many as 'politically incorrect' to say the least.

The humour is rather zany but you need to remember that Michael Bentine was a member of the Goons: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298349/ which itself was rather surreal.

I think that this is a gem of English cinema.

It contains lots of old English character actors, most of whom are, sadly, no longer with us.

Most of the performances are of the 'cameo' type, lasting only a few minutes.

It is set in the Swinging Sixties and shows London at the time. Because London was like that (although not as eccentric!).

Many people nowadays will consider the movie to be 'lame' but it is enjoyable for those with an interest in social history and the actors of the time.

My score is generous, don't get to imagining that this is anything like as funny as the makers intended or the cast suggests. It's just that it all has such a good feel to it and as a picture of how London was 40 odd years ago, absolutely indispensable. The release date of 1966 and references in the trailer, imply that this movie embodies the nebulous concept of, 'Swinging London'. The truth is, however, that this movie is just on the cusp. It may be that it took a couple of years to put together and almost completely misses out except for a couple of little touches including a mostly hidden very short dress glimpsed in the last of Bernard Cribbins' photo sessions. Significant also in that the lovely girl being photographed is Suzy Kendall, more or less at the start of her career and set to make many classic, cult and giallo films. Everybody else with the possible exception of Ian Hendry is on the wane. As the 'swinging sixties' take a hold, all of these lovable old characters will disappear, being far too representative of the 50s for the groovy boys and birds. Michelangelo Antonioni seemed to capture the coming wave in the same year's, 'Blow Up' and that is either because he was particularly perceptive or that being an outsider, gave him greater perspective to spot the changes. in any event a must see film for anyone interested in the stars or the city.