Precipitevolissimevolmente

Norman Wisdom's brand of comedy is an acquired taste; for those unfamiliar with his particular shtick, he's basically the British counterpart to Jerry Lewis - with all that it entails! I had watched a few of his films over the years but it'd been some time since then, so I decided to rent a 12-DVD Box Set (on Region 2) available from my local outlet - which, actually, I did mainly for my father's sake who used to lap his films up...and is already halfway into the collection as I write this!

Anyway, his debut feature is pleasant enough and is actually considered by many to be his best vehicle (though still featuring a couple of sentimental songs). In itself, simple-minded but occasionally inventive (particularly the window-dressing 'competition', the "sale day" rush and the climactic rounding-up of the bad guys) and with a premise that's seen service in countless 'comedian' films - Charlie Chaplin's short THE FLOORWALKER (1917) and again later in MODERN TIMES (1936), Harold Lloyd's SAFETY LAST (1923), The Marx Bros.' THE BIG STORE (1941) and Jerry Lewis himself in WHO'S MINDING THE STORE? (1963). Here the star is nicely abetted by Jerry Desmonde as his flustered boss (often serving as the brunt of Wisdom's accident-prone gags) and Margaret Rutherford as a charming elderly shoplifter.

When a major London department store is taken over by a new manager, Mr Freeman, stock boy Norman finds himself out of a job after a series of misunderstandings. He wins back his job in time to get embroiled in an internal robbery of the store.

This was the first of the Norman Wisdom/Rank comedies that became an annual money spinner from the 50's well into the 1960's. The plot is rarely important and here we have a mix of romance and robbery that supports the usual mix of accidents and misunderstandings. The romance and the robbery don't really work, the romance seems to happen far too quickly while the robbery is tacked on at the end.

Wisdom is as excellent as always - his uncoordinated, shy, eager, accident prone and misunderstood personality allows him to have a series of funny set pieces. It's an acquired taste, but if you like the short of slapstick humour then Wisdom will appeal to you. Wisdom regular Jerry Desmonde is good as the store manager and Margaret Rutherford (second in the cast list for a very small role) is funny as an upper-class shop lifter. The only weak link is Lister as Norman's love interest, she's a little light and her character changes depending on how the story is going.

Overall it's not a masterpiece but it's a good Norman Wisdom comedy. It won't appeal to everyone but it's a gentle family comedy from another age.

This is Norman Wisdom's first full feature, and it starts off well, with a pretty funny comedy and romantic drama, Norman wants to do it all, increase his standing in the company, get the girl and foil the robbers with a lot of comedy and singing on the way, they are trying to do a lot in one film, but it succeeds, to some extent, maybe they took on too much, so its not great, but it is still a good and funny film.

Jerry Desmonde is Norman's straight man and is very good, he did a few with Norman and this is why, because Norman really bounces off him well,

The love interest is played by Lana Morris and she is very pretty and acts well, another beauty is Moira Lister, but she is a bit of a baddie, but very good, Megs Jenkins plays Normans buddy in the stockroom, she is neglected, a good actor. and Eddie Leslie plays the smarmy bad guy ok. Other noted actors who were in this were Joan Sims in an early role, several years before she became a star in Carry On's, Cyril Chamberlain, Ian Wilson and Esma Cannon who was also in the Carry On films amongst other good films and Margaret Rutherord (Miss Marple).

Eddie Leslie's last film was The Early Bird, another with Norman he passed away in 1975 aged 71. Megs Jenkins retired in 1990 and passed away in 1998 aged 81, Moira Lister acted until she died aged 84 in 2007. Lana Morris did another with Norman, she also retired in 1990 but died from a heart attack in 1998 aged 68. Jerry Desmonde did 6 more films with Norman, but committed suicide in 1967 after his wife died, he was only 58. Norman outlived them all, he had a long life, lately on the Isle of Man, passing away in 2010 aged 95, they will all be sadly missed.

Not least for this:- in the opening scene where Norman (on his bike) leans on Jerry Desmonde's big fancy car, who attempts to swat Norman's hand off with his glove but Norman keeps moving it, and the Window dressing scene where they end up breaking all the crockery, extremely funny. worth the price of admission just for those.

Though now slightly over fifty years old, Sir Norman's film debut remains one of his very best movies. 'Trouble In Store' finds the clown in top form, as a stock room worker who wishes to move up in the world and marry the girl of his dreams. Whether roller-skating behind a fast moving bus or crooning his biggest hit (and signature tune) 'Don't Laugh At Me', Norman demonstrates the charisma that made him such a major box office attraction.

Backing Norman is the fantastic Margaret Rutherford, who in only a handful of scenes steals the picture (and everything else!) as an elderly shoplifter. The very lovely Lana Morris also scores as the object of Sir Norman's affections. Lana comes across in this picture so well that it is a real pity that she did not have a better movie career.

Highlights range from Wisdom's window dressing 'duel' with Michael Ward, a very catchy duet with Lana (Norman once again showing us his great singing voice) and a fun Western parody climax. This movie seemed to fly by and is probably Sir Norman's most enjoyable film.

It's often said you have to be English to understand Norman Wisdom's humour – Albanians would probably agree, the same as Russians would've done about George Formby. The fact is he's always appealed to certain parts of the population, usually kids or people with defiantly unsophisticated humour like me. In his films I cringe at the obligatory mawkish bad bits but overall have always got more out than I put in, apart from his last.

This was his first big effort: he plays lowly Norman in the stockroom at a big department store under the control of new broom Jerry Desmonde and intent on winning the love of the girl on the record counter. There's various adventures along the way, many firings and re-hirings and a tiny sub-plot involving a gang of what turned out to be extremely cartoony robbers, but basically it's a one man show. However if you already know that Norman isn't your bag, try this one solely for the beautiful performances by the ever frothing Desmonde up against Wisdom for the first time, and regal Margaret Rutherford as an expert shoplifter in a fantastic feathered hat. Favourite bits: the smashing window dressing scene; Norman's first explosive encounter with Desmonde; the climactic violent gunfight in front of an audience. Norman's most famous song is here too: Don't Laugh At Me 'Cause I'm A Fool; in 2008 UK BBC broadcast an otherwise interesting programme on him at 92 years old with Alzheimer's disease setting in with that precise aim in mind. I do hope no one takes the mickey out of those particular sensitive documentary makers if they ever get old and in the way too.

Recommended as I've always liked Norman's films - to a point - but then again maybe my funny bone froze at age 11.