Rhubarb Rhubarb

Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb, rhubarb rhubarb rhu. Rhubarb rhubarb rhu.......barb rhubarb. Rhubarb.

It is quite tempting to fill this comment with Rhubarbs, as that is the only word spoken in the entire programmer, however since there are other identifiable words to be read on signs, that would just be a load of Rhu.

Eric Sykes writes directs and stars in this remake of his own 1969 Rhubarb. Jimmy Edwards and Hattie Jacques also return as the constable and the Nanny respectively. The great Bob Todd takes over the vicar part Harry Secombe (who was starting to concentrate on actual songs of praise during the eighties).

Naturally the entire game of golf is chock full of sight gags, as Roy Kinnaer and Beryl Reid attempt to keep their nearby home safe from flying golf balls, April Walker seems to distract Sykes along the way with her long, long legs and all of the constable and the inspector's dirty tricks fail to get them anywhere against the vicar, who has the Lord on his side - at least up to a point.

It's all not quite as naughty as Bob Todd's friend Benny Hill would have done it, nor is at funny as some of Eric Sykes' other shorts such as 'The Plank'. Not having access to the original for now, it is impossible to compare the two versions, but since characters on the cast lists are virtually identical, it would seem Sykes made very little effort to change anything. The ending is a bit of a cop-out, though or perhaps one should say a Rhubarb.

Rhubarb out of Rhubarb