Steptoe and Son Ride Again

Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973) is the best of the two films featuring the duo of Albert and Harold. Harold is on his rounds one day and runs into a harried housewife and somehow winds up in York. By the time he comes back home, the business work horse is stressed out from the long trip back to Shepard's Bush. Without a horse to pull the carriage, Albert dips into his family savings to buy a "new" one. But Harold feels he's a better business man than his father so he takes it upon himself to buy the animal. Hours later, Harold comes home with something Albert's not quite looking for. Will everything work out? Remember these are the Steptoes!

Unlike the last film which was like the series, a melodramatic comedy this film is more of a farce. It's highly entertaining and and pretty far out the lengths the Steptoes will go to get themselves out of hock. If you like British comedies or farcical humor then this movies just for you.

I enjoyed this film a bit more than the first film. They're both funny and pretty amusing. I have to strongly recommend this movie.

As usual both Albert & Harold are deep in debt, and this is made worse when Harold gets ripped off buying a short-sighted greyhound from the local gangster instead of buying a decent horse for their rag & bone business.

Harold comes home from the business deal drunk to the eyeballs and Albert isn't at all impressed, especially with the dog and his rather large appetite for steaks & eggs.

Harold tries to placate Albert by telling him the greyhound is a born winner on the track and that with a bit of training the dog should be able to win enough races to make them a nice little profit.

Unfortunately the plan doesn't quite work out and the same local gangster is threatening violence if they don't repay him the outstanding loan for the dog.

With nothing else worth selling Harold decides the only thing left of any value is is father's insurance policy. The only fly in the ointment is that Albert has to die in order for the insurance company to pay up and thus free Harold of his dangerous debt.

For those who grew up on the BBC TV series of Steptoe & Son, you will probably be quite disappointed at this rather flimsy little story that is far too long for the movies and the comedy always feel forced & contrived.

The humour is often very black or vulgar, which in truth is no different from the TV show. But the real difference between the two is the movie version lacks the comedic polish & spontinaity of a live audience. Both actors seem to revel & interact far better in front of TV cameras and a bunch of people than on location with a film crew and a succession of takes & breaks.

The film has its moments, especially involving the training of the adorable little greyhound, but the bulk of the film is relatively forgettable. The acting is ok but the direction is very jagged & irritating to the point of being almost unwatchable at times.

For all the criticisms however, its still quite good for a Sunday afternoon's worth of entertainment when there's little else to do. But for purists I would opt for episodes of the TV series everytime.

**/*****

If you're a fan of the original TV series then you'll enjoy both of these films although they are both very different. That series was of course one of the first comedy-dramas seen on TV seamlessly blending slapstick with biting social commentary and sometimes tragedy. Not wanting just to be a long TV episode, the first film tries to be a little more serious, a little more drama than comedy. Some people fund that a bit unpalatable at the time so the second film goes the other way being more of a traditional comedy film.

When you watch the first film you might wonder how on earth this is classed as a comedy because it is very dark. It does have its funny moments but overall it is quite emotionally draining as we're witness to Harold's life falling apart aided by his father's pretty horrible cruelty and mental torture. Besides YES releasing CLOSE TO THE EDGE, 1972 was not a happy year for the UK and this film gives us a voyeuristic insight into how depressing things were back then for the majority of people. Although it's heavy going at times and you're more likely to cry than laugh, it is enjoyable and satisfying. What makes this extra special is Carolyn Seymour as the girl who captures Harold's heart. She plays a stripper in a seedy club and as someone who takes her clothes off for a living she is of course very attractive but because she's such a great actress, she's also instantly likeable even though she's actually not that nice. Her character is just so real so much so that you can perhaps empathise with her most of all.

As a result of the negative backlash against the first film, the next one, in my opinion went too far the other way. Although maintaining the spirit of the original show this one decides to be a comedy and indeed it is a very funny comedy. If you're a Steptoe fan then this will make you laugh but maybe because I'm a miserable old git, I prefer the first one.

Yes, i know the ring in the manure scene is from the first movie but i couldn't resist. The first film is ok, if a bit uninspiring. It has it's moments. But the second film is peak Steptoe. I must have seen it a hundred times, but it's still great to put on and chill out to.

With a lot of the series episodes disappointingly only surviving as really poor quality home recordings, plus the Christmas specials being butchered on the official dvd, Steptoe and Son Ride Again stands as one of the most enjoyabe highlights from the entire show.

A real shame that there were no more movies, so many good ideas were possible. The Desperate Hours and Divided We Stand would have made excellent feature length movies. As great as they are, 30 minutes feels a bit of a waste of pure comedy gold.

Only Fools & Horses and One Foot in the Grave would later (re) prove that you can easily stretch out a sitcom to an hour or more without it feeling slow. The longer format allows a comedy show to breathe, or at least it does if you do it well. Steptoe and Son Ride Again and the Porridge movie were earlier examples of how it can work a real treat. 94 minutes flies by when you're having fun!

Countless comedies from the seventies produced movies, Rising Damp, For the love of Ada, Are you being served? One thing they all had in common, was they were all poor compared to their respective shows. Fortunately the two Steptoe movies were excellent, and this was the best of the two.

The script is terrific, it's laugh out loud funny, and both characters are totally in character, another flaw with spin off movies. The dialogue is punchy and caustic, but it's the multitude of hilarious moments, that makes this so good, my third choice would be Albert snaring his neighbour, second would be Harold taunting his father with the mannequin's head, but best bit is the coffin scene, who on Earth wouldn't laugh out loud.

It's a favourite film of mine, that stands the test of time. It's a joy from start to finish. 10/10