The Plank

This short is very reminiscent of the antics of many of the early silent film stars. Eric Sykes remade this piece in 1979, this time with Arthur Lowe (of Dad's Army and Mr. Men fame)in the role of the larger worker. Whichever version you choose to see, both Lowe and Cooper are very funny to watch, so you really can't go wrong no matter which you view.

Things like the car doors that must be closed at the same time to prevent the other popping open, and narrowly avoiding hitting people when they swing the plank around are straight from the realm of Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd or even Laurel and Hardy. So if you like classic physical comedy and sight gags, in the vein of the classics, then find a version of The Plank and enjoy with a friend.

This film is actually quite good. Eric Sykes and Tommy Cooper are brilliant. But I would say this film is not one I would buy but one that is good to watch on TV.

A myriad of stars usually mean a film is rubbish but this film proves wrong. The stars all have funny little cameo roles that keep you going "ooh I know him" and having to go here to look for them!

This is a hilarious piece of nonsense from a cast of very talented actors/comedians. Eric Sykes is one of the greatest comedy actors/writers that Britain has produced and this film should not be slated because it seems dated by todays standards (it was made over 40 years ago). The plot is simple, the story is simple, but the simplicity of it is its charm. It is a film purely designed to entertain and to make one laugh, it has no message or underlying agenda, other than to bring a smile to people of all ages and nationality. The cast are all masters of their craft, the pick of the 60's comedians, and all 'proper' comedians, they did not have to resort to shock tactics and foul language to get the audiences attention, unlike todays comics. It seems to have stood the test of time, for few people have never heard of it and it has often been referred to a a 'British Classic' .... and deservedly so.

Had found this one of the most hilarious things I had ever seen when originally viewed in the late-1960s/early-1970s and I had wondered for years why it was not shown more regularly on British TV. Finally got to see it again when it was tucked away at 11.00 pm - midnight on pre-Christmas viewing schedule. Having now re-watched it, I now know why it enjoys so few showings as it just does not cut it any more. Tommy Cooper is still hilarious (as he always was) just through his physical presence and personality and Jim Dale's appearances and the effects of these are also amusing. Otherwise, though, there is very little going for it. Most of the gags are so predictable you can see them coming miles away and the added tinned laughter others have commented on is just ghastly. The main problem, I found, though was that the TIMING was just atrocious to modern eyes. Sykes was very obviously trying to recreate ( could one say milk?) the heritage of classic stars such as Chaplin, Lloyd and, above all, Laurel & Hardy but does not come within five miles of their talent, especially the latter pair. I think any modern audience (of any age) will find more hilarity and deep belly laughs in virtually any Laurel &Hardy short than in this offering, which now really does belong in the museum of British comedy on film and is only really suitable for viewings by scholars of the genre and others like me (hence the rating) looking back on a much more innocent age and stage of their lives.

A short, slapstick British comedy from the late '60s. Be warned that there's also a remake from 1979 with Arthur Lowe in the Tommy Cooper role. The main inspiration behind THE PLANK seems to be the silent comedies of yesterday and the early talkies that followed, particularly the Laurel & Hardy film where they starred as a couple of workmen.

THE PLANK is fun, albeit slightly overstated. It doesn't have the feel of a timeless classic to it, and for the most part it goes through the motions with all kinds of predictable humour. Saying that, there are quite a few decent gags, particularly those involving the plank being tied to the top of a car and all the accidents and incidents that ensue.

The film is well worth watching for fans of classic British comedy, because the cast is a veritable who's who of famous names. Tommy Cooper, as one of the two central workmen, is by far the best value, essaying a kind of naturalistic humour that never seems force. Beside him, as straight man, Eric Sykes seems almost staid.

Look out for Roy Castle in an ill-fitting wig, short cameos for Jim Dale and Hattie Jacques, plus plenty of other notables from the time.