It's Your Move

With 'It's Your Move', Eric Sykes once again delivers one of his eccentric and near-mute comedy shorts - paying a fun homage to the silent era as well as perhaps the humor and sight-gags of Laurel and Hardy. As usual, the set-up is fairly simple - this time it concerns a couple on moving day to their new home in the London suburbs, and the incompetent moving men who add to the chaos of what we discover of their already not-so 'des' residence.

The humor is old-fashioned and quaint, even by 1982 standards, and if you're not familiar with Eric (and his assorted cast here of erstwhile British comics and actors), it may not mean a great deal to you. It's not meant to be sophisticated or clever, it's just an excuse for some good old-fashioned knockabout humor and slapstick, and this is something he always does very well.

As a footnote, for anyone who may not know, Eric was gradually losing his hearing at this time, and this is what (I understand) inspired his move to make this and his other dialog-free comedy shorts over the years. So sit back and enjoy the ride of a bit of comic nostalgia from a more gentle time - and have fun spotting all those famous cameos!

It's a bit slapstick and a bit English humor. Barely a word is spoken. If you're into English humor definitely highly recommended, but if you're not probably not your cup of tea. It's about a young couple who moves into their new home. With their furniture brought by some movers. One of them played by Tommy Cooper. Let's just say everything goes wrong. It's your move came out in the eighties. So for present day viewers it might be a bit old, but than again a house is still a house. And the humor is timeless. I have said everything, but need 54 more characters for this review. Still 12 to go. Have fun watching.

My question is this: Was this short film EVER funny in ANY decade in ANY country? I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't even born yet in 1969 and I am not overly impressed with a lot of older British humor. However, "It's Your Move" seems like something most other people wouldn't be able to enjoy also.

For starters, there is very little dialogue. Nobody ever actually holds a conversation in this film. They flail their arms about and motion to each other. Occasionally someone will blurt out a word or short phrase. It is never made clear why they do this but it takes the word "frustrating" to a whole new level.

The main premise of the film is about a couple moving into their new home. Nothing works right in the house and the occupants seems like idiots for evidently purchasing it sight unseen. To make things worse, they have hired the world's worst movers. These guys bust pretty much everything they lay their hands on. No matter though. The homeowners barely seem to care.

If watching people pantomime and break lots of things leaves you in stitches then maybe you'll enjoy this. For me, it took everything in my power not to fall asleep during its brief running time of about 25 minutes. 1/10