Norman, O Quebra Galho

I thought this was one of Wisdom's very best outings as a hapless window cleaner caught up in a kidnap plot. It has far more story to it than other similar efforts the actor would go on to make, and his camaraderie with the supporting cast is what makes this zing; I particularly enjoyed his developing friendship with the spoilt young lord. The slapstick is very funny too, which helps immensely.

This is another "fish out of water" Norman Wisdom comedy, where he plays a window cleaner at a lavish, huge country estate. He is the new target of the mischievous child Sir Reginald and generally causes havoc with the other people. There is a sub plot about kidnapping Sir Reginald, something that his family always seems frightened about. Norman eventually agrees to take Sir Reggie to London to a nightclub to see a magician. Norman even wreaks havoc there. Norman Wisdom is a good physical comedian and he plays this role rather well. In this film he is the star, with his pratfalls and sight gags. There is a love interest but thats very secondary to Norman's mishaps. If you like Norman Wisdom, slapstick comedy, British comedy or just plain silliness, you should watch this as well as other Norman Wisdom comedies. It doesn't hurt to laugh.

I regard myself fortunate to have met Norman Wisdom once. He was doing some promotional work up in Newcastle in the late 1990s.

Up in the World sees hapless Norman play a window cleaner on a big country estate. It has more windows than roof tiles. Norman has to put up with the spoilt brat of the household.

Some bad guys plan to kidnap the brat, an heir to the title and they are not happy that Norman bagged the window cleaning job.

Norman is forced to take the lad to a nightclub in London where Norman causes havoc during a magic act. The bad guys make a kidnap attempt and poor Norman is blamed and lands himself in jail.

Some of it is silly fun, there is an opening mishap where Norman places a giant poster over some apartments.

It is knockabout fun but I think it is not a good film. Norman Wisdom's schtick has aged a bit. Some of it comes across as irksome. The singing is irritating.

I am a huge fan of Norman Wisdom but not I have to say of his singing, though to be fair his voice is reasonable. The problem I have is that I don't like musicals, or films that have music injected into them.

Norman Wisdom became very popular in Britain and many of his films, insisted on featuring his singing as well as his comedic talents. As far as I am concerned if that was the case, that could have been easily accommodated. By simply having Norman Wisdom sing the songs over the films credits, at the beginning and end of the film. Leaving the entire film to be free from musical numbers, and simply being a comic film. Which is why I've marked this film down, from the usual high rating that I'd normally give one of his films.

I heartily recommend this film to anyone with a funny bone that needs tickling, you don't have to even know who Norman Wisdom is to laugh your socks off. This is a riotous madcap adventure where Norman's character has to contend not only with a precocious spoilt brat Sir Reginald (Michael Caridia) but also have to work under his Nemesis Major Willoughby (Jerry Desmond).

Out of work Norman goes to the labour exchange. The window cleaner of Lady Banderville has had an accident and they need a replacement. However a gang of criminals want the job to be able to gain access to the Banderville estate and kidnap the young son, Sir Reginald. Norman finds it difficult to get on with both staff and employers but within the staff there is a member of the gang plotting the kidnap of poor Reginald.

Norman Wisdom comedies all run to the same formula in different settings. This involves the working class lad being put down by the snobbish upper-classes as he accidentally makes them look foolish -–but always comes good in the end. Here we see him as a window cleaner to an upperclass family with all the various scrapes he gets into – but this has the kidnapping which gives it the feel of a reasonable plot to fall back on.

The comedy is as good as it got for Wisdom and this is one of his better films (although not his best). The various routines and pratfalls are standard but enjoyable. The fact that the plot is quite good too (despite the holes) is a bonus but not important. Happily Norman's wooing of the usual attractive lady is limited to one brief song. The majority consist of various funny scenes and a good, if totally unrealistic, football match.

Wisdom is on form and still looks as young and naïve as he makes himself out to be. Desmonde is as usual, every inch the upper class man looking for the fall. Swanson makes a pretty and unobtrusive love interest. The only bit of the cast I hated was Caridia who was really unpleasent as the spoilt brat. He did the role well but I felt that someone that spoilt and upper class should have some sort of comeuppance at the end of the film.

Overall this is good for all Wisdom fans and many first timers may be won over by this mix of gentle comedy and whimsy.