Friends and Neighbours

This was the only film of Askeys that I hadn't seen. It was from the second half of his film career,which was better than the first.

They were based on stage plays.

I found this film to be more amusing than I expected.

I especially enjoyed the scene in the grocers where the eccentric nature of the then Sunday laws explained.

Then at the cricket match where Arthur explains the way cricket is played.

There are many familiar faces. Megs Jenkins, Reginald Beckwith,June Whitfield .

Danny Ross plays the gormless boy friend and the ageless Jess Conrad a rock and roller with a song at the begining of the film.

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Arthur Askey and his music hall inspired gentle humour but I have to acknowledge that his movies were very hit and miss. Ghost Train is one of my all time favourites but others are sometimes hard to sit through.

I thought I had all Arthur's cinematic releases but only recently discovered this one. I think I'd assumed it was lost but obviously I was wrong. So I sat down to watch this later period effort noting that it was written by the legendary Talbot Rothwell of Carry on fame and the strong supporting cast.

I think I was only 2 minutes in when I realised it wasn't going to be a classic!

There are a couple of funny moments as Arthur and his family win the honour of giving lodgings to visiting Russian dignitaries but overall it is very very dated and a most out of the ordinary performance from Askey . It's certainly watchable but by no means essential. For Askey completists only I would suggest.