San Ferry Ann

SAN FERRY ANN is one of those slapstick British comedies of the 1960s that did away with dialogue in favour of sound and music. This one's a bit longer than more familiar material like THE PLANK, and as such it's a bit strained at the seams. The essential story sees three very different couples heading to the French Riviera for a seaside holiday, with various slapstick antics ensuing. The cast, from Wilfrid Brambell to Barbara Windsor, work hard with their familiar roles, but the quality of the laughs isn't quite what I was expecting or hoping for. Expect a genteel comedy of yesteryear and you'll be better served than I was.

Plainly influenced by the work of Jacques Tati and Pierre Etaix, this comedy without dialogue is the sort of nonsense that later became associated with Benny Hill.

Andreas Malandrinos evokes the era of quota quickies , Graham Stark plays a distant cousin of Inspector Clouseau as a gendarme, a cast of TV favourites includes Old Man Steptoe, 'Likely Lad' Rodney Bewes, Alf Garnett and Lynne Carol late of 'Coronation Street'.

For the teenagers there's Fred Emney, Babs Windsor models a pair of slacks that are anything but; while Aubrey Woods' face is a picture as he studies that day's influxes' passport photographs.

A very odd film with no dialogue other than a few grunts here and there and with a very impressive cast list. It may not have gone down very well at the time, I don't know, but it has great novelty value now.

Not seen by many going by the low number of reviews but it can be seen on TPTV in the UK and will probably be shown every few weeks for a while. Like a mime film done in the French style so appropriate that it was filmed in Calais.

Well worth watching even if just to see some cast members who became a lot more well known later on. There's plenty going on and it's quite short which may be a good thing for some viewers.

I first saw this film MANY years ago ( I am now 42) As far as I can remember there was no real dialogue. Instead there were mumbles, sounds etc, but it was a film that would by the nature of its comic genius, be understood by ANY country. Anyone who liked "The Plank" or "Futtocks End" would laugh their bits off over this one.

It was a "slightly" slapstick film about a daytrip to the continent (France I believe). It contained stereotypes. The English Lobster, sits in the sun until he/she turns red. The French drinks brandy, drives his car eats onions. The German is efficient and official.

Which ever country you are from, you would probably not see the funny side of the jokes about you, but would roar with laughter at the way the others are portrayed.

This was politically incorrect, but then again, what wasn't in those days.

THIS IS A MUST SEE IF YOU GET A CHANCE ( I.E They play it on TV where you live )WATCH IT. Honest.