An Alligator Named Daisy

My Grandmothers Cousin, Maurice Johnson, looked after the alligator 'Daisy' at his home in Parkstone (near Bournemouth). The alligator was really male. I believe he was a theatrical agent. He was also a friend of naturalist Gerald Durrell. The alligator grew bigger and eventually went to Jersey Zoo. I know that many of the animals that eventually went to Jersey Zoo in the late fifties were kept at the boarding house of Gerald's sister, Margaret Durrell, in Bournemouth. I too have always wondered about the safety issues and how many real alligators were used, especially during the pool scene. The film is a quirky mix of slapstick comedy and odd musical numbers. However it is brimming over with famous faces which adds to it's quaint charm to make it just about a success.

A 1957 (yes, that's the correct date) J. Arthur Rank production with James Robertson Justice, Margaret Rutherford, Wilfred Hyde White; it has to be a smash comedy, right? Oh, it's just awful. It's a one gag film: watching people be shocked at the sight of a little alligator. Music is thrown in, most inappropriately and forgettably. Jeannie Carson is a lively dancer and competent singer. But what was she doing in this film? Diana Dors is here too, providing oh-so-daring shots for use in the previews. Her acting level is not bad, but she's in the film to provide someone to leer at. Well, one must do something beside groan during this film. The movie is being sold on VHS now by people on e-Bay. Spare yourself the expense and the waste of time. A comedy without a laugh. A musical without a memorable song or dance.

I suppose my viewing pleasure of this film is spoiled by the fact I had a neighbor who had all kinds of exotic pets. He called it Albert and occasionakky took it for an outside airing. I kepy at least 3 feet from Albert when I saw him outside.

In An Alligator Named Daisy aspiring songwriter Donald Sinden gets stuck with a female alligator named Daisy who's as tame as a dog providing it's not a Doberman. The alligator causes a lot of trouble between Sinden and his intended Diana Dors, but she does bring Sinden together with animal lover and zoo employee Jeanie Carson.

A lot of familiar British character players are in the spporting cast in roles that are suited to them. The cimax isa bit unreal. In real life a lot of the British uppercrust would have been fine dining for the reptiles.

One thing more. As Daisy is identified as being from Brazil originally she would be properly referred to as a caiman. But why quibble.

Amusing British comedy.

A sometimes amusing but ultimately not very essential comedy about Peter, a songwriter, who is left with an alligator. He meets Moira (the fiery red haired Jeannie Carson), who works at a zoo but is engaged to marry Vanessa (platinum blonde Marilyn Monroe like Diana Dors). Basically, Peter takes care of Daisy, who sometimes does not even look real. You get the very obvious reactions to the alligator, but this is a pretty bland comedy. It could have benefited from an increase in slapstick and more face time with Donald Sinden (who plays Peter) and Jeannie Carson. Not horrible, not unwatchable but not as good as many British comedies of the 50's. For lovers of the main actors only, otherwise you can skip it.

With a cast of stalwart British character actors and pleasing photography of 1950s Britain, I had hoped and expected to be more entertained by this film. Unfortunately I found myself glued to it for the wrong reasons - I couldn't quite believe how awful it was. I must have watched thousands of old films and am always ready to make allowances for them being products of their time, but this was really hard going.

As others have noted, a major problem is that it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be: a gentle romantic comedy, a slapstick comedy or a musical. I was a bit gobsmacked when Jeannie Carson suddenly broke into song about 15 minutes in! It's not believable on any level, either the storyline itself or the fact that Daisy never appears to have an ounce of menace in her at any time. Other aspects which defied credibility included the casting of suave Donald Sinden as a songwriter (a songwriter for God's sake!), the fact he has Diana Dors for a fiancée and doesn't appear to have the slightest interest in her (I mean, Diana Dors! Come on!) and a ludicrous scene in a song publisher's office. The whole thing's silly in the worst possible way.

If I had to pick a favourite scene it would be the one at the very beginning with that wonderful actor Wilfred Lawson - after that everything went downhill in a big way.