The Runaway Bus

Full of stodgy British laughs from almost fifty years ago, this movie was excellent to watch when there was nothing else to do. See an incredibly young Petula Clark (it took me a while to recognize her), Margaret Rutherford as the stereotypical English grandmother complete with fox fur and parasol, but especially the laughs are had by Frankie Howard, virtually unknown to American audiences. As the bus driver of a bus with about a half dozen passengers who are stranded in one of hte legendary London fogs, Howard gets the best laughs just trying to find the bus in the fog to begin with. The movie does valley out but it is interesting to watch to the end. Petula does not sing tho. This was a fun movie, if for nothing else then to see an aged, non-HOllywood film with non-Hollywood actors.

England, post war, rebuilding. It must be the brit sense of humor, calling it a runaway bus, when it spends most of the movie either traveling at one mile per hour, and just sitting on the side of the road. Similar to Quick Change, where they can't make it out of the city. Everyone fulfills their stereotype.. the pilots are hitting on the ladies, the poor, overworked bus driver (Frank Howerd) never stops grumbling and complaining. And pushy, old Miss Beeston (Ruthorford) tries to boss her way around the whole film. If you have watched her play the same personality type as Miss Marple, you'll see the humor, and why they cast her. The customer service rep has figured something out, since the driver's name doesn't match up... but what's really going on? And where did the stolen gold end up? It all has a fun sense of adventure about it, with the scary fog. Then throw in trip-wire bombs that keep going off. Written and directed by Val Guest. Won a BAFTA in 1961. Wrote many projects, directed many projects. Good one!

British comedian Frankie Howerd, best known to TV fans as the star of the historical satire Up Pompeii, makes his feature film debut alongside Margaret Rutherford, George Coulouris, Belinda Lee and English songstress Petula Clark. Howerd plays Percy Lamb, a novice bus driver, who, as London is submerged in thick fog, is assigned to drive the number "13" coach from London airport to another a couple of hours away. With his half dozen or so passengers along for company, Percy promptly gets lost! But that's not the worst of their worries. For in the boot is a load of stolen gold bullion and the master criminal known as "The Banker" is amongst them and will do anything to get their hands on the loot. But just who is "The Banker?". It's written and directed by Val Guest whose writing work for the likes of Will Hay, Arthur Askey and The Crazy Gang puts him firmly on the list of classic British comedy writers.

Safe and inoffensive fun is The Runaway Bus, very much along the lines of Walter Forde's The Ghost Train (Guest writing there too), it zips along apace and is awash with gags both visually and orally. Maybe somewhat surprising, considering all those involved with it, it's probably with its "who is it" core where the film is at its best. Blending comedy with mystery thriller elements can often be a tricky task for some film makers, but thankfully here Guest and his team play it right. There's no obvious hints to who the "baddie" is, thus the element of surprise is high, and the staging of the second half of the movie at a fog enveloped army training range makes for a nice atmospheric feel. There's no great shakes in the acting, but they all are safe and doing what is required. Rutherford of course is the standout performer, while Howerd is only hinting at the ability that would in the years to come make him a much loved comedian in the United Kingdom.

Widely available on DVD now, it will be annoying to some that the transfer is rough and not afforded a clean up. Full of snap, crackle and pop, it does carry a bit of old fashioned value in that respect. But those interested in the DVD should stay away if scratchy old transfers are to be an issue. 7/10

Certainly not one of the classic 50s comedies, but it allows Frankie to give full reign to his unique talent. There are rather too many unbelievable plot twists and many of the characters are two dimensional, but there are some good chuckles. Nice to see a young Petula, and also Belinda Lee, one of the many blonde bombshells of the 50s who were hyped as Britain's answer to Marilyn Monroe. Disappointingly, if you enjoy watching 50s films for their shots of towns and villages in the post war period, this one seems to have been shot almost exclusively in the studio and backlot Verdict : If you are a big fan of Frankie Howerd's style, go for it.

This is a great comedy film,with a large number of British stars on their way up including later pop star Petula Clarke who these days lives in france. The whole set up hinges on the fact that a fog covers the south east England and a Gold bullion robeery has been waiting for this very thing to happen. Master mind the Banker a most deadly crook who is not disccoved till the end of the last reel, and who the players hold a sweep stake on who it is. Frankie Howard is just great and when he climbs a post to find the way only to discover the words 'wet paint', its a laugh a minute. A film to watch over and over as you discover some thing new each time. Pity we can not have fims like this these days simple entertaining fun.