Caught in the Act

This is a rather old fashioned comedy film redolent of those that have been made here in times past, but those the film industry seemed to have forgotten how to make.

One of my favourite British comedy actors Leslie Philips is Sydney Fisher, his appearance was personally far too brief but nonetheless very funny.

The movies three heroines Lucinda, Katherine and Amanda, are perfectly cast by the actresses Sara Crowe, Annette Badland and Nadia Sawalha. They form an ideal trio of ideal friends chatting and invariably bickering with each other, but not really falling out with each other permanently.

The films miscellaneous characters that flit in and out of each subsequent scene are in the main, those that I thought may make other than merely cameo appearances.

But they nonetheless provide the heroines with their storyline, and haphazard journey through the bye ways of rural Norfolk.

I think this has got to be one of the funniest British films ever made. The sheer silliness of the plot and the completely mismatched trio of friends make this a film to sit back with a beverage of your choice and laugh at.

In my opinion, all the cast play their parts well, with an outstanding performance from the veteran Leslie Phillips as an piano teacher who likes a "small" sherry. The sequence involving a pre-war socket and a modern tape recorder has me in fits of laughter.

The finale, involving the three main characters singing in a talent show [ dressed as pig-tailed schoolgirls ] has tears rolling down my face and my face aching from laughter. Again, the farcical nature of the lyrics about how each of them " lost IT " in various locations around the school and "IT" turning out to be not what you were expecting, just gives the whole film an appeal to all ages from the older kids up to grandparents.

If you haven't seen this film, give it a go - you'll be surprised.

Originally made for the cinema, this film was deemed so awful by the distributors that it resulted in a straight-to-video release. It's easy to see why. 'Caught in the Act' desperately wants to be another 'Four Weddings and a Funeral', but it's stupid, pointless and completely unbelievable.

The trio of female leads turn in terribly childish performances (especially the annoyingly-voiced Sara Crowe) and the supporting actors are even worse! With a juvenile script and stereotyped characters, the movie seems to be stuck in a 1950's timewarp.

Only the acting of comedy veteran Leslie Phillips raises the level above utter farce.

'Caught in the Act' is embarressing and ultimately very forgettable.

"A sunny, feel-good, female buddy movie" was how Allan Hunter of Screen International described this film. And it is just that. Delightful, easy and charming. The climactic sequence in a village hall in Norfolk wherein the heroine triumvirate take part in a talent contest contains some memorable comedic moments in the best traditions of the Boulting Brothers. Gentle comedy moves effortlessly into broad comedy and thence into farce. The cast is full of familiar faces from British film and TV - most notably Sara Crowe, Nadia Sawalha, Leslie Phillips, Paul Shelley and Nickolas Grace. All are terrific.

Wouldn't suit all tastes, but if you like it you'll love it. A very gentle, very English humour with many wonderful throwaway lines. Strongly recommend. Sara Crowe is outstanding in the part of a girl totally hung-up on a theatrical agent, and Annette Badland and Nadia Sawalha are equally good supporting her as the long-suffering friends. Leslie Phillips plays an excellent music teacher/musician and there are some excellent scenes where he is trying to help the girls write their song. However, the piece de resistance for me was the song at the end - the acting, as well as the song, together with the reactions of the audience, make excellent viewing.