Margery and Gladys

'Margery and Gladys' was transmitted by ITV1 on 21 September 2003. This TV film is a comedy, but it's inspired by a deadly-serious news event. In 1999, a Norfolk farmer named Tony Martin (not the American singer) shot dead a teenage burglar who broke into his property. Because the intruder was attacked from behind, a controversial court decision found Martin guilty of homicide; he served 18 months in prison before the conviction was changed to manslaughter and he was released with time served. The case still inspires angry debate.

Screenwriters Flanagan and McCulloch combined the Tony Martin incident with another real-life news item about two elderly ladies who committed a series of minor robberies across England, incurring bills at hotels and petrol stations and then bunking without paying. The British tabloid press called these women "Hell's Grannies" (after a Monty Python sketch). In this case, Hell's Grannies plus the Tony Martin affair equal hilarity.

The chief appeal of 'Margery and Gladys' is the first-ever teaming of two actresses who have been beloved mainstays on Britain's television screens for many years. Penelope Keith (classy as ever) has played society matrons and snobbish beldames in several long-running sitcoms. (In real life, Penelope Keith recently spent a year as the ceremonial High Sheriff of Surrey!) June Brown has had a long stint as chain-smoking whinger Dot Cotton on 'EastEnders': unlike Ms Keith, in real life June Brown *is* a great deal like her most well-known role.

Ms Keith plays Margery, a tetchy suburban matron -- recently widowed -- who attends a Neighbourhood Watch meeting that leaves her paranoid about burglars. Ms Brown plays Gladys, Margery's cleaning lady. The two women are an odd couple with (they think) little in common, until an intruder enters Margery's house and she coshes him (from behind) with her Waterford crystal vase. Believing that Margery has killed him, both women recall the Tony Martin case and they now realise that they can be charged with murder! Naturally, they must now go on the lam, as fugitives.

'Margery and Gladys' is (among other things) an intentional parody of 'Thelma and Louise', with two unlikely matrons as female outlaws. Instead of Texas highways, their getaway takes Margery and Gladys across the secondary B-roads of the Midlands, en route to sanctuary in (wait for it) Milton Keynes. There are some bizarre incidents, as the two women must commit other crimes to obtain funds and medications.

This TV film is quite funny, although it's a gentle character-driven humour of a typically British variety that doesn't play well in the rest of the world. The interplay between these two veteran actresses is delightful ... especially as they learn they have more in common than they'd suspected. Unfortunately, towards the end the dialogue gets all 'meaningful' in a manner more typical of American TV scripts. I laughed throughout 'Margery and Gladys', and I rate this TV movie 7 out of 10.

Britain has had a long history of mainly 'gentle' if somewhat bawdy comedies committed to celluloid. Think St. Trinians, of course the many Carry Ons and the numerous TV series' movie outings from the 1970s onwards.

This little beauty is very much in the vein of that type of comedy. A bit slapstick, a bit naughty, a bit far fetched but above all, led by protagonists that you can actually relate to. We've all met a lady of the house who thinks she a bit above everyone else (Penelope Keith excels in those roles) and the 'Mrs Mop' types that always seem to get the upper hand in the end.

If you enjoy the genre of the 'classic' British comedy that this movie definitely belongs to, you won't be disappointed.

However.

This seems to be rarely shown on TV and as far as I'm aware, it's only ever been released commercially on an Australian region 4 DVD, and it's not easy to track down.

I watched it last night and although it had its funny moments this reworking of the 'Odd Couple' began to sag after an hour. The humour is based around having a a female middle class snob and a very working class woman in the same car when things start to go wrong. The whole plot is too far fetched and the car journey is far too long! So long that I wanted to scream! Both main actresses are good but the problem lies in the length of the film. Penelope Keith plays her usual middle class lady looking down upon all and sundry but her character is one dimensional and there is only so many times that you can chuckle at her snobby sarcasm and her superior tone of voice.This was in essence an hour long comedy, but as it was the humour becomes clichéd and the whole thing becomes laboured. This film should have been entitled 'Audrey Forbes Hamilton meets Dot Cotton.'

The drama, Margery & Gladys, unfolded quickly and moved smoothly along. The casting of comic legend Penelope Keith and another great talent, June Brown was brilliant. I only came upon this by accident while changing channels. I loved watching Penelope Keith and June Brown (in something other than East Enders) together. Penelope is truly a British treasure and should be given Damehood for her contributions to television comedy. I love Penelope Keith. June Brown can hold her own against Penelope in this drama. Penelope is perfectly cast as Margery, the snobbish wealthy Kent widow, and June Brown as Gladys, her cleaning lady. They begin their usual day by doing their routine until a burglar enters and changes their lives forever. Like any good drama and comedy, there are laughs along the way when they run out of money, break into a pharmacy, etc. They are the unlikeliest of friends too. They are complete opposites. We learn their secrets along the way. It is the most entertaining drama around today. If it had been in the cinemas, Penelope Keith and June Brown would have been honored with Oscar nominations. I won't spoil the ending. I found Margery's son, Graham, to be quite amusing and interesting. He is the strangest character around. It was wonderful to see Marcia Warren again. She's another great British talent! For all it's worth, I enjoyed this team much better than Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.

Whoever cast this TV film, got it just right. UK TV viewers will recognise most of the faces from a wide series of TV soaps and comedies. After the start, Margery and Gladys confront in Margery's house and accidentally kill him, the plot follows a roller coaster of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. Well worth a night in to watch. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I am sure there are lots of gems that I missed, to be savoured when it is re-run.