The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer

This cynical tale of politicians and spin-doctors gives me goosebumps because I am amazed how prescient it is fifty years on. Either it accurately predicted the future or politics never changes. If it had been released when it was finished it would have been topical and might have been more of a success, instead it was held back for a year and then vanished without a trace. I ordered a copy when it was first released on dvd, because of the involvement of John Cleese and Graham Chapman; but I was amazed by how much I enjoyed it and I also remembered seeing it on late night TV many years ago, when I was too young to appreciate it.

Peter Cook's unemotional performance in the title role has drawn criticism, even from the man himself but I think it is just right. I have met people in real life who are just as wooden as Michael Rimmer, with nothing behind their eyes. I find the character menacing and I think Cook has a great screen presence, even though this movie apparently ruined his career! The wonderful Vanessa Howard plays Rimmer's wife; I think she should have been a huge star but at least a few of her movies are now available on dvd. Arthur Lowe does a great turn in a supporting role as the lazy and envious Ferret, and many other well known English actors appear, including Denholm Elliott and Dennis Price.

The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer is a comedy but a decidedly black one and all the better for it. There is a shortage of characters to relate to and root for which shows how well it reflects the world of politics but this will have contributed to it being so quickly forgotten when it first came out. At least there have been many favourable reviews since the dvd release.

I find it hard to believe that this film has not had a greater showing on television than it has. I can only recall one showing on British TV in the last few years and it definitely deserves more. This is not to say it is a brilliant film, although I think it's pretty good, but it really needs to be seen in the context of modern day politics. Its still "bang on the nail" relevant and you can either be worried about lack of progress in politics or society, or marvel at how far ahead of its time it was.

The plot is a bit lacking in focus, sub-plots involving Rimmer's romance with his girlfriend, and the duplicity of his political partner are distracting and are really padding for a concept that isn't really film length. However, these are minor foibles in what I think is a well written political satire which is a must see for anyone who thinks modern politics boring – this might just get you thinking.

And it's funny as well.

I was lucky enough to discuss this film with David Frost in 2005 and it is a film he is still (he was the producer) very proud of, citing it as one of Peter Cook's best works.

The film was given a very limited release in 1970. I saw it in the Cosmo Cinema in Glasgow in 1970 and fell off my seat laughing - the first time I have ever done that in a cinema - and I was not the only one. The Cosmo by the way (now the Glasgow Film Theatre) was a specialist cinema which attracted intellectuals and serious film students, so they clearly saw the importance of this film from the word go and it is such a shame that Warner Brothers are unable to do the same and recognise this as an important historical film document.

The film disappeared and has only been shown on TV 3 times - originally shown on ITV in 1979 by various channels who usually used it to pad out their late night schedules - and the version I taped then runs about 8 minutes short. It has also been shown on Channel 5 twice and they have made less cuts, but there is still some material missing which is why it needs to be issued on DVD with care and by someone who knows the film well and understands its importance to fans of John Cleese, Peter Cook, Monty Python - and 60s British comedy.

Another perspective is that Michael Rimmer is essentially Tony Blair, so this film predicts presidential style UK politics and spin and contrasts it with old fashioned Labour thud and blunder with Harold Wilson lookalike George A Cooper in his best ever role.

This should be compulsory viewing for all political students and if you liked the "Yes Minister" TV series, chances are you will very much enjoy this.

Post Mortem Since I wrote the initial comment above, the DVD has been released complete with director commentary - and I still find this an incredibly funny film all these years later.

This film was shown recently on Channel 5 in the UK. Basically, a young official looking man with a clipboard, Michael Rimmer (Peter Cook) walks into a dead beat polling company - and begins to change it dramatically. Very soon, the company is a thrusting dynamic organisation - with Michael Rimmer as it's head. He is loved by everyone, and he can manipulate people easily. He then begins to move into politics, and rises very quickly up to Prime Minister. It is then that his true motives begin to appear - he wants to be President of Great Britain. Will he succeed? Of course, he's Michael Rimmer. Watch this film and be amazed. Don't be concerned if you find you rewind it and watch it all over again. It is superb.

It is a real shame that this film has not been released on DVD or even VHS. The remarkable thing about it is that even though it has been aired so few times, its imagery is so immediately fresh in the mind, from the bumbling assassination attempts in a JFK style by Arthur Lowe, to the 'First British Gold Bar' extracted from the north sea.

This film is about manipulation and orchestration from the start to the end !! done with a very dry and British style sense of humour.

The manipulation and 'Spin' of the Political Party Broadcast filming - who could not forget the scene with the rotating countryside backdrop and tread mill - BRILLIANT!! The guile of a Prime Minister who offers the nation the right to decide on every issue -with the piles of paper work such referendums incurred - to the ultimate presidential / dictatorship power gained from the final referendum.

The film as many people have mentioned before may not have a plot, in fact it is more like a documentary at times, but it is wholly unimportant. Its content is a precise satire of the government and issues at the time of production - preceding the change to decimalization - entry into the EU and the discovery of oil in the North sea, the general feeling of social discontent and mistrust in Government that was brewing and what would almost prophetically occur several years later.

One possible reason for its lack of public viewing could be because Peter Cooks brilliant genius cut close to the bone, unashamedly attacking the political processes and media circuses that surround general elections and political manifesto.

Without any doubt if this film was ever released on DVD I would have to buy at least 3 copies.

If there was ever a point in history were spin doctor politics was defined - look no further than this film for it origins.

A monument to Peter Cook and a host of brilliant British comedy actors.