Margery and Gladys

The pairing of Penelope Keith and June Brown seemed a bit strange to me, but as there seemed to be nothing else on that night, I watched this, and I'm glad I did.

P.K. and J.B. worked their 'unlikely ladies double act' off perfectly, with Penelope's slightly snobbish employer of June's cleaner character. Going around the country accidentally avoiding the police and leaving a trail of crimes when they were innocent of any crimes to start with.

A funny ITV comedy-drama (I normally hate ITV dramas - heartbeat etc..) that I would love to see again, or more unlikely partnerships perhaps?

8/10

Britain has had a long history of mainly 'gentle' if somewhat bawdy comedies committed to celluloid. Think St. Trinians, of course the many Carry Ons and the numerous TV series' movie outings from the 1970s onwards.

This little beauty is very much in the vein of that type of comedy. A bit slapstick, a bit naughty, a bit far fetched but above all, led by protagonists that you can actually relate to. We've all met a lady of the house who thinks she a bit above everyone else (Penelope Keith excels in those roles) and the 'Mrs Mop' types that always seem to get the upper hand in the end.

If you enjoy the genre of the 'classic' British comedy that this movie definitely belongs to, you won't be disappointed.

However.

This seems to be rarely shown on TV and as far as I'm aware, it's only ever been released commercially on an Australian region 4 DVD, and it's not easy to track down.

Haven't seen Penelope Keith on TV in ages. It was either this or Groundhog Day. Am glad I watched this one. You will enjoy this on TV or DVD if is available. Basically the plot is:

Wealthy housewife Margery and her rough-diamond cleaner, Gladys, disturb a burglar, knock him unconscious in self-protection, then panic and leave him for dead. But, unknown to them, he survives and escapes. Believing themselves unintentional killers, the two flee in Gladys's old wreck of a car, commencing a journey of comedic misunderstandings in which these two very different ladies embark on a shared voyage of self-discovery. The two take to the open road and a fugitive lifestyle like ducks to water. However, with money short and Gladys needing medication, the duo is forced into a surprisingly full-blown crime spree, proving more than a match for an unlikely pair of policemen, Detective Inspector Woolley and Detective Sergeant Stringer.

This British TV movie is a must for fans of classic Britcoms who will recognize Penelope Keith from various TV series. Here, she plays a 60-something widow who lives in a posh neighborhood that has been the target a recent break-ins. While her cleaning lady (June Brown) is working one day, they catch a punk in the midst of robbing the house. Keith smashes a vase over his head. They think he's dead. What ensues is a mostly comic romp as the mismatched women run from the police. After all, a neighborhood watch meeting recently warned home owners that British laws do not favor them when they defend their homes and lives.

As the women race across the countryside in a beat-up Fiesta, they each learn a whole lot about each other, even though Brown has been Keith's cleaning lady for decades. Aside from hiding from the police, they have to deal with Brown's diabetes and the fact they left the house without any money or credit cards.

Also good are Adam Godley as Keith's repressed son with a cleaning fetish, Roger Lloyd Pack as the detective counting the days til retirement, Peter Vaughan as Brown's smarmy husband, and Martin Freeman as the dumb sergeant.

The journey is quite funny as the ladies travel by train to Blackpool with a bunch of George Formby (a major British film star of the 30s and 40s) impersonators, the perfect touch for their surreal journey. Just outside Blackpool, they make a shocking discovery that changes their lives and destinies.

Keith and Brown work very well together and are a delight to watch as they get deeper and deeper into trouble, in turn bickering with and rescuing each other. For those who know Penelope Keith only as Margo or Audrey from TV, her dramatic moments in this film will be a real eye-opener. Be sure to watch the closing credits where all the characters' stories are wrapped up in a series of post cards. Wonderful surprise ending for the Brown and Keith characters.

The music includes two George Formby songs: "Leaning on a Lamp Post" and "My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock," which is a local hard candy.

Hard to find, but I finally found this on DVD from UK.

The drama, Margery & Gladys, unfolded quickly and moved smoothly along. The casting of comic legend Penelope Keith and another great talent, June Brown was brilliant. I only came upon this by accident while changing channels. I loved watching Penelope Keith and June Brown (in something other than East Enders) together. Penelope is truly a British treasure and should be given Damehood for her contributions to television comedy. I love Penelope Keith. June Brown can hold her own against Penelope in this drama. Penelope is perfectly cast as Margery, the snobbish wealthy Kent widow, and June Brown as Gladys, her cleaning lady. They begin their usual day by doing their routine until a burglar enters and changes their lives forever. Like any good drama and comedy, there are laughs along the way when they run out of money, break into a pharmacy, etc. They are the unlikeliest of friends too. They are complete opposites. We learn their secrets along the way. It is the most entertaining drama around today. If it had been in the cinemas, Penelope Keith and June Brown would have been honored with Oscar nominations. I won't spoil the ending. I found Margery's son, Graham, to be quite amusing and interesting. He is the strangest character around. It was wonderful to see Marcia Warren again. She's another great British talent! For all it's worth, I enjoyed this team much better than Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.