Eric & Ernie

Eric And Ernie (2011) -

I remembered enjoying this greatly when I first saw it, for its strong castings and wonderful humour, but I had begun to doubt myself after rewatching 'Rather You Than Me' (2008), the similar Frankie Howerd BBC biopic, which didn't resound as well as I had recalled.

My fears were needless though because I thoroughly loved this exploration of Morecambe & Wise's early years.

The script and direction cleverly sculpted the path to define where and how some of the humour might have been formed and used suggestions to represent what I knew that the two jokers became.

Vic Reeves (Jim Moir) and Victoria Wood worked really well as Eric's parents and again I could see how they shaped Eric's onstage persona. I didn't think that the smoking suited her though, looking as if she was an actor with a prop and that she didn't really like it. It sounds nitpicky, but it really jarred for me. I was surprised to see very little about Ernie's parents though.

As for Daniel Rigby as Eric himself, he absolutely stole the show. He had clearly studied the man to get all of his inflections and mannerisms. It was hard to remember that he wasn't the actual comedian in question.

Bryan Dick in the role of Ernie was good too, but he didn't quite pack the same punch. The younger incarnation played by Josh Benson could have been something from an old Wise family home movie though, because he nailed Little Ern.

Overall I felt that the casting was spot on, they all looked and acted like they belonged in that era. I never once thought that I wasn't watching something from that time. The sets, costumes etc were all appropriate too.

Although it was essentially a very well done drama I also loved the humour throughout. I could absolutely see those kids growing into those teens in to those men that I've laughed at for years and how the jokes and affectations matured into their acts.

From their earliest days of pageantry to their first appearance on BBC, It was a very worthwhile piece about a pair of comic geniuses that was highly entertaining. A masterpiece in how to do a biopic properly and one that I would have liked to have seen a sequel to.

919.81/1000.

You just cannot make a better biopic than this.

Even their voices were down to a T, which is usually the most overlooked bit. They couldn't have got any closer to the real Morecambe & Wise unless they stuck a camera in the faces of the real M & W. This is so good it must have been a secret candid camera having followed them in real life. I'm just speechless.

You really can't see the join.

Morecambe and Wise remain to this day one of the best double acts of all time and this great drama from the BBC shows us their early years. We all know what happened when they achieved fame so it is nice that this drama focuses on the other side of the coin.

The casting in this is great. All the actors playing Morecambe and Wise not only look the part but capture the voice and characteristics of the two men and in some places you start to think you're watching the real men.

Victoria Wood is also great as Sadie, Eric's mother and her story arc is at the centre of this piece that is beautifully captured by director Johnny Campbell.

My only grumble is that much like every other media piece surrounding the comedians this drama is centred more on Eric than Ernie but otherwise this is a great drama.

Seldom has a comedy act been so revered, fondly remembered, or generated so much warmth and affection as Morecambe and Wise. The cherished memories kept alive by repeats, documentaries and tributes, which have served only to enhance their reputation. By the early '70's celebrities were queuing to be on their show, aspiring to star in one of the plays what Ernie wrote, or in the case of Andre Previn, reveal a previously unseen comedic talent in one of their many memorable sketches. Furthermore, The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show became an integral part of the festive season.

It's a daunting challenge, capturing the essence and flavour of such iconic artists, especially when shedding light on a period prior to their peak. In this delightful, heartwarming production, the transition from childhood to young adult is seamless, rather than episodic.

Little Ern appears to have been born on a stage, while the more reticent Eric was more preoccupied with his airgun and being the class clown, as Mother, Sadie drove him relentlessly towards a life in entertainment. The key moments in their journey are all portrayed superbly, but Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick are across the board magnificent, in voice, appearance and mannerism, as the duo as young adults.

Victoria Wood and Jim Moir impress as Eric's unflagging Mother and his equally easy going father, plus, there are some wonderful vignettes of immediate post war life; faltering Christmas tree lights, Sadie, opening the doors of a large, imposing cabinet to reveal.....a tiny television screen (shortly before the BBC start showing an interest in the pair). Oh, the picture wouldn't be complete without the sight of a Stanier Black 5 arriving at the platform!

Billed as a drama, there are a number of touching moments, but as one can imagine from the very nature of the subject matter, outbursts of laughter are never far away.

I'm of that generation that religiously waited for and watched Morecambe and Wise's usually superb BBC TV specials in the mid 70's when they were at their peak (although nowhere near enough credit is given to their writer Eddie Braben) and so was very interested to watch this dramatisation of their formative years.

It has to be said that their old employer does them proud with a well written, produced and acted TV movie. In truth I could find little to fault in it, my only complaints being perhaps the limited dynamic arc in the story itself and a little too much screen-time for the inspiration behind the project, Victoria Walters. That's not to say she's not good in the part of Eric's pushy, typical show-biz mother, but she takes too much focus away from our heroes, to the, as I say, slight detriment of the piece.

The other main casting credits work very well, with Jim (Vic Reeves) Moir a revelation as Eric's docile dad and the young actors playing Eric and Ern as spot on as they could be with look, voice and mannerisms. They have that essential ingredient for any double-act, chemistry. The script includes some decent gags, but enough of what really matters here, drama, to make it entertaining.

The duo's well-known personae are developed naturally and enough signposts are inserted to their future routines and catch-phrases to please admirers of their later work. As I indicated, this wasn't the most essential show-biz bio-pic I've ever watched but it was amongst the more entertaining of them.

What did I think of it (so far)? Definitely not "Rubbish!"