Norman el recluta

A pretty average vehicle for Wisdom. The story about betting on a horse race and winning a fortune doesn't really seem to go anywhere so the resultant narrative feels episodic at best, a little tedious at worst. Our star certainly makes plenty of effort and it's as nice as ever to see the likes of Margaret Rutherford co-starring, but this one just lacks a certain magic.

I caught this movie on TV on night many years ago, and I still remember laughing so hard I had a stomach ache! Norman Wisdom is one of the funniest men in film. Just the eclair eating scene alone is worth renting this or catching it on the late, late show one night. If you see it, don't miss it. You will go to bed giggling!

Margaret Ruthorford week on TCM! Norman ( Norm Wisdom) works in a jewelry store, but still lives with his mother. And is falling for the gal who works across the street (Jill Dixon). Norman has a plan to get rich quick, so he can buy jewelry for his lady friend. Directed by John Carstairs. The movie itself is fun, but that scene in the movie theater just goes on way too long. Were they short on story? It gets a bit three-stooges-ish. But Wisdom has been compared to charlie chaplin, so i guess the slapstick humor is to be expected. We finally meet Rutherford about an hour in... she's the eccentric owner of a racehorse, who may or may not help Norman. It's pretty good; has some similarities to the recent Just My Luck, made in 2006. Story by Peter Cusick, Al Shaughnessy. Wisdom had won a BAFTA in 1954. Rutherford had won for VIPs. Carstairs, Wisdom, and Rutherford made three films together over the years.

We are starved for British comedies of this era. We love movies with Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, of course Peter Sellers & Alec Guinness, and way up on our list, Margaret Rutherford.

Which brings us to why we watched this movie--she got second billing. Had never seen Norman Wisdom, but he's well-known, so why not give it a chance? Plus, we are big horse racing fans, & that's the main subject.

Sad to say, we were highly disappointed. No captioning for the film, so we struggled to understand some of Wisdom's Cockney dialogue.

A couple of the stock characters were mildly amusing: the battle-axe mother, also the battle-axe-in-training girlfriend.

Happy finally to see the wonderful Margaret Rutherford, but much too little & too late in the movie.

Mainly saw a succession of pratfalls and low comedy, very little Brit-wit.

The first & last time we'll watch Norman Wisdom--save him for the music halls.

Another solid effort from Norman Wisdom.

Norman chances on a betting scam, and since he wanted to buy a toy car for an orphan, he tried his luck to win the money from a £1 he scrounged, and guess what, he won the accumulator, the betting gang had other ideas about paying out, but a good natured secretary of theirs made sure Norman could collect his winnings.

Note Joan Sims and Cyril Chamberlain in a pre- Carry on role, and a few bit role actors

There was many moments of mirth, my wife, who had never see a Norman Wisdom film until this week, was in stitches, its worth a star just to see her laughing.