The Girl on the Boat

This is a period comedy based on the Wodehouse story. Although Norman is not in his typical character form he doesn't venture far from his tried and true. If you like Norman's other comedies you'll probably like this. The plot is fairly simple, Norman meets a woman on a ship and he quickly goes to any lengths to win her. That includes learning her joys in life and pretending they are his as well.

Like all of Wodehouse tales, this covers the society's upper crust and their rather strange behaviour. Did people actually act that way 100 years ago? A funny little diversion, no masterpiece but bright and breezy enough.

Interesting that our Norm was paired opposite Millicent Martin, who was to be big in the forthcoming satire boom in England in the 1960s (and "That Was The Week" in particular). Quite why Wisdom took on this type of lead role is something of a mystery - cast as he was as one of the Bertie Wooster, PG Wodehouse, upper class, chinless wonder types. Yet he does remarkably well with, I have to say, not one of P.G.'s best offerings -even though the novel was given a makeover for the big screen by the improbably named Reuben Ship (a film and TV writer who penned scripts for, amongst others, Spike Milligan and Frankie Howerd). However, some of the rough edges of the dialog do grate somewhat, presumably in a vain attempt to keep faith with the Wodehouse original. On the printed page such exchanges can still sparkle. But on screen they run the risk of coming over as being about as sharp as the blunt end of a bread pudding. As when the Norman Wisdom character (Sam Marlowe), caught by a New York cop prancing around the street in his underwear (don't ask) says: "It's all right, officer, I'm English." And the cop replies: "Well, I'm Irish, so you'll have to come up with a better excuse than that." Wisdom and Martin are most ably supported by, in particular, Richard Briers, who starred in later sitcoms such as "Brothers In Law", "The Good Life", (you name it) playing the part of the Wisdom character's useless friend, Eustace Hignett (well, with a name like Eustace he would have to be useless, wouldn't he?). Though quite unlike any character he had played before (or was later to do) Wisdom does maintain the tradition of being a (somewhat unlikely) romantic lead. And although he was pushing fifty by then (compared to M.M. being well under thirty) he still comes across as comparatively youthful and was able to pull off a number of stunts both in and out of the water while managing to look convincing. But as to whether or not he actually gets the girl in this one - you'll just have to watch the movie and see for yourself.

Sam Marlowe travels to America to try and convince his Aunt to rent out her summer house in England. When his Aunt discovers Sam's cousin Eustace is planning to get married secretly she sends them both back to England. On the transatlantic ship Sam meets and falls for Eustace ex-fiancée, Billie and when they arrive in England love is a many confusing thing!

Based on a P.G. Woodhouse play this film is a very different beast from Wisdom's usual films where he plays working class mugs who come good in the end. Here he tries to be the upperclasses and it feels funny seeing him in this type of thing. The film does try to have some of his trademark type of routine but really this is all about the dialogue as the physical aspects have had to be written in.

It is still an enjoyable film and is quite witty. However fans of Wisdom may not appreciate his change of direction (even if was only for one movie). But it does allow those critics of Wisdom to see him in a different type of film (to an extent) and he just about caries it off - mainly thanks to the good cast around him who do fit in nicely with this material.

Wisdom himself seems comfortable in this different role and does well enough, but he does slip easily into his old impressions and falling down routines whenever he gets a chance. Martin is excellent as Bennett and faces such as Briers, Hancock and Cribbins more than make up for the loss of regulars such as Mr Grimsdale and those characters played by Desmonde.

Overall this is not a Wisdom picture by definition and it doesn't quite succeed as a Woodhouse adaptation either. However it is passable as both and is well worth a watch.

Great cast but crap script a waste of talent and Film a great pity .

Although this was not one of PG Wodehouse's better novels, it still deserves better than the terminally irritating, never funny, ridiculously overrated comedy pygmy that is Norman Wisdom.

Wodehouse was a genius, a description that has often been applied to Wisdom, the difference being that Wisdom is anything but.