The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer

I find it hard to believe that this film has not had a greater showing on television than it has. I can only recall one showing on British TV in the last few years and it definitely deserves more. This is not to say it is a brilliant film, although I think it's pretty good, but it really needs to be seen in the context of modern day politics. Its still "bang on the nail" relevant and you can either be worried about lack of progress in politics or society, or marvel at how far ahead of its time it was.

The plot is a bit lacking in focus, sub-plots involving Rimmer's romance with his girlfriend, and the duplicity of his political partner are distracting and are really padding for a concept that isn't really film length. However, these are minor foibles in what I think is a well written political satire which is a must see for anyone who thinks modern politics boring – this might just get you thinking.

And it's funny as well.

This is a brilliant British political satire. Along with "Bedazzled" and "The Wrong Box", this must be rated with Peter Cook's best Work. The supporting cast is superb. I hope that it will be released on video one day soon. I would love to have a copy.

In Bedazzled, Peter Cook played the devil. Here he plays something worse; a man with a clipboard.

As the movie begins, Peter Cook starts following people at an ad agency, writing things down on a clipboard and introducing himself to everyone as Michael Rimmer. He claims to be an employee, yet he has to introduce himself to every single person at the company.

Soon Cook is a pollster, then a politician, each step preceding from the last, each move built on deceit in a world that accepts deceit as the norm, and Cook as one of them.

Cook is a mysterious character. We can see him manipulating events and working his way up the food chain, but there's never a sense of what it's all for. He seemingly just wants power, but it's never enough, and he never uses it for anything except gaining more power. This is interesting, but at the same time its distancing, leaving one intellectually engaged but emotionally disinterested.

The movie is at its best when it lays out the manipulations, as when a politician practices for a speech in an odd way, and then we see the speech and exactly what the rehearsal was all about.

The film is also interesting as a time capsule. It's strange to watch any non-war movie that is so man-heavy. While many movies of the time should men exclusively in business roles, there is usually a counterbalance of women in roles of emotional support. But in a movie all about power made at a time where only men had power, women are pure decorative, used for sex jokes and gratuitous nudity. This is true to what was going on at the time, although in a satire one always notices where the creators seemingly accept the status quo, and here there seems to be no thoughts for the ladies.

The movie didn't do well, but then, how often does satire do well? If you're one of those rare people who are drawn to satire this is a very worthwhile film.

It is a real shame that this film has not been released on DVD or even VHS. The remarkable thing about it is that even though it has been aired so few times, its imagery is so immediately fresh in the mind, from the bumbling assassination attempts in a JFK style by Arthur Lowe, to the 'First British Gold Bar' extracted from the north sea.

This film is about manipulation and orchestration from the start to the end !! done with a very dry and British style sense of humour.

The manipulation and 'Spin' of the Political Party Broadcast filming - who could not forget the scene with the rotating countryside backdrop and tread mill - BRILLIANT!! The guile of a Prime Minister who offers the nation the right to decide on every issue -with the piles of paper work such referendums incurred - to the ultimate presidential / dictatorship power gained from the final referendum.

The film as many people have mentioned before may not have a plot, in fact it is more like a documentary at times, but it is wholly unimportant. Its content is a precise satire of the government and issues at the time of production - preceding the change to decimalization - entry into the EU and the discovery of oil in the North sea, the general feeling of social discontent and mistrust in Government that was brewing and what would almost prophetically occur several years later.

One possible reason for its lack of public viewing could be because Peter Cooks brilliant genius cut close to the bone, unashamedly attacking the political processes and media circuses that surround general elections and political manifesto.

Without any doubt if this film was ever released on DVD I would have to buy at least 3 copies.

If there was ever a point in history were spin doctor politics was defined - look no further than this film for it origins.

A monument to Peter Cook and a host of brilliant British comedy actors.

Michael Rimmer (Cook) joins an opinion poll company in a mysterious capacity, a silent and malevolent observer of what goes on. In this he's not a million miles from Bedazzled's George Spiggott, but in 'The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer' the targets are clear - big business, local government, the parliamentary parties, democracy itself.

As Rimmer gains more and more personal power, we see a Britain decaying at the seams in a sea of corruption - from the dim humbug makers with their sexy ad campaign to the would-be PM with planted questions at party conference. Supporting roles are judged well (Denholm Elliott, John Cleese, Arthur Lowe, Ronald Fraser in particular), while Cook himself looks the part, smirking and smart-suited, interfering in a cosy world of middle-aged execs and politics in need of a shake.

There's a lot going on here in a Britain stood still - and it makes for a very entertaining film.