Tons of Trouble

The second and lesser of two tinny mid-fifties big screen vehicles for the fondly recalled Mr.Pastry by veteran director Leslie Hiscott. Surprisingly subdued between the farcical interruptions involving things like laughing gas and soap suds (to the extent that this has even been described as a comedy drama); it plays like a thirties quota quickie, right down to some of the supporting cast (although £4.18/3d was still a large amount in 1956).

Just seen this film on the splendid Talking Pictures. What a gentle simple comedy from a much calmer age. Modern children might not get it but Richard Hearne was a superb knockabout comedian and I enjoyed it immensely.

This is tricky, because I last saw this movie on TV in about 1965. The central character, 'Mr Pastry', played by Richard Hearne, was a popular knockabout comic, still busy at that time, and I, as a child, welcomed any appearance by him on the television. He looked like a little old man with fluffy white hair and moustache, and a dark suit and hat.

As far as I know this was Mr Pastry's only feature film. The title refers to the huge boilers that are used to heat an office building, and Mr Pastry is the caretaker, who has looked after them all his working life. Trouble arises when the system is to be modernised, and oil heaters installed, meaning that the big old boilers will be scrapped, along with their loving caretaker.

I'm sure this film is full of slapstick and chases, but the only scene that remains in my mind is poor old Mr Pastry saying his good-byes to his boilers. They have names (one, I'm sure, is Bessie), and I think I remember the whole thing as being quite touching.

I also remember that it all turns out okay in the end. I hope this film is still intact somewhere, and someone sees fit to give it a TV airing one afternoon. It's a comedy about a changing world, and in 1965, it was shown at peak time in the evening, which just goes to show how the world continues to change.

My review will be extremely quick and vague! This is because I only remember watching this film way back in around August 1977, after being tied to a hospital beds with traction weights and pulleys, following a road accident! All I can remember is virtually the same as all the other reviewers; ie, the janitor man (Pastry, of course) and his beloved boilers, which he saves in the end! I have been trying to remember the title of the film for 36 years now...so many thanks for that; you've made an old man very happy! I echo your other reviewers' comments, echoing their pleas...do please let us have another airing of this B&W classic on Britsh TV!

It is rather strange that of the eight reviews of this film only one has seen it in the last 40 years and he wasn't able to make out the dialogue.So I have an advantage having just finished viewing this.Films such as this were made for a children's audience when slapstick still held sway.So I doubt whether children today would be much amused.Hearne does his fairly predictable comedy quite well.When he messes about with a washing machine you know that the room will soon be filled with soap suds.I can't say that I have ever really found him funny though obviously some people retain fond memories.So hopefully some of them may be able to refresh their memories.