Not Wanted on Voyage

My mother and father took me to see this film when I was seven years old. I loved it, especially the scenes where people were falling into the swimming pool - fully clothed. Children have always liked laughing at things like that.

I have been looking for this film since 1958, when it was first released, and managed to see it again on Talking Pictures this morning.

Brian Rix and Ronald Shiner made lots of films like this during the 1950s. Brian Rix usually repeated his role as the type of character he played in his "Whitehall Farces", and Ronald Shiner assumed his usual role of his scheming, "anything-for-easy-money" partner.

This time they were playing two stewards on an ocean going, luxury liner. The other actors played quite amusing parts, as well. Katie Boyle, even in the role of a nefarious villainess, looked just as lovely as she did in the Camay adverts that she used to do on commercial television during the 1960s.

As a fan of British comedies of this era I was pleased to discover Not Wanted On Voyage.

Two cabin stewards, the scheming Albert Higgins (Ronald Shiner) and his dim witted mate Cecil Hollebone (Brian Rix), set out on a ocean voyage under the exasperated Chief Steward (Michael Brennen). Along for the trip are the wealthy Mrs. Borough (Fabia Drake) and her secretary Pat (Dorinda Stevens). Obviously Mrs. Borough's jewels attract the attention of thieves Guy Harding (Griffith Jones) and Julie Harris (Catherine Boyle). Also along for the trip are the demanding Col. Blewton-Fawcett (Michael Shepley) and honeymooners Mr. and Mrs. Rose (John T. Chapman and Therese Burton).

The plot of the movie is primarily the theft of Mrs. Borough's jewels, no points for guessing who gets falsely accused of the dastardly deed, but most of the movie consists of scenes of Steward Higgins' moneymaking schemes and Steward Hollebone's ineptitude as they interact with a variety of passengers and crew.

The attractions of this movie include a good mix of verbal and physical comedy, a high professional standard amongst the large cast of characters and a good pacing (82 minutes).

However, on the negative side, the comedy seems a little dated, with the verbal comedy not memorably witty and the physical comedy not terribly original. Perhaps the bigger negative is that, upon reflection, many of the main characters aren't that sympathetic. Ronald Shiner's character literally doesn't do anything good for anyone, including his purported mate played by Brian Rix, without charging money for it. Contrast this with Sid James' characters in the Carry On films, who often schemed but inevitably were revealed to have a soft heart. Only Brian Rix's character comes off as warm but obviously playing dim witted all the time has its own limitations.

None of this detracts from the fact that the movie is pleasantly enjoyable watching but it does mean that the emotional satisfaction from the movie is less.

Technical credits on the British DVD I watched were professional.

Passable British comedy from veteran director MacLean Rogers starring a very good Ronald Shiner as a slightly shady steward on a cruise ship who eventually foils some diamond thieves. Some bits go on for too long and become tiresome, but overall this is a fun time. Hard to take the bit where Shiner and his co-hort put blackface on to pass as Arabs. Aside from that, Michael Pertwee's script is competent.

Brian Rix was well known for his farces but as a child I only really knew him for his adult literacy shows on television and for his work for the mentally disabled for which he received a peerage.

Here is a rare chance to catch him doing his comedy. He plays Hollebone, a dimwitted cabin steward along with the more crafty Higgins (Ronald Shiner) who has obtaining tips from the cruise passengers into an art form.

When wealthy guest Mrs Borough enters the ship with a valuable diamond jewellery she attracts unwanted attention and it is left to Hollebone and Higgins to catch the culprits.

Shiner excels as the scheming Higgins, always on the look out for a large tip but he is also wily enough to figure out that two of the guests are up to no good and feels sorry for the newlyweds who he realises were not as well to do as expected.

The film actually zips along nicely, there is a fair amount of slapstick and is not over long. It is a nice example of 1950s British comedy, not high brow but amiable.

Ronnie Shiner became a big film star in the fifties.He was no one box office star at one time.I remember,as a small boy being a fan.Not surprising as the comedy is a bit childish.He is supported by Brian Rix who would eclipse his fame and appear on TV as well.Shiners star dimmed in the second half of the decade as I'll health started to take its toll.This is not a particularly funny film.