''Love Thy Neighbour'' is a 1973

British comedy Throughout film, television, and radio, British comedy has become known for its consistently peculiar characters, plots, and settings, and has produced some of the most renowned comedians and characters in the world. History British comedy history ...

film starring Jack Smethurst, Rudolph Walker, Kate Williams and

Nina Baden-Semper Nina Baden-Semper (born 1945) is a Trinidad and Tobago-born British actress best known for her role as Barbie Reynolds in the 1970s sitcom '' Love Thy Neighbour'', produced by Thames Television. Career Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Baden-Semper ...

, spun off from the television series '' Love Thy Neighbour''. It also marked the last regular film appearance of James Beck as Cyril, prior to his sudden death on 6 August of that year.

Plot

Eddie and Joan Booth, a white couple, live next door to Bill and Barbie Reynolds, who are black. Although Joan and Barbie are best friends, Bill and Eddie are complete opposites. Without their husbands' knowledge, Joan and Barbie enter a "Love Thy Neighbour" competition to win a cruise, but must contend with the problem of their antagonistic husbands. To add to the problems, Joan's mother-in-law is coming to stay, and Barbie's father-in-law is coming from Trinidad.

Cast

* Jack Smethurst as Eddie Booth * Rudolph Walker as Bill Reynolds *

as Barbie Reynolds * Kate Williams as Joan Booth * Bill Fraser as Mr. Granger * Charles Hyatt as Joe Reynolds * Patricia Hayes as Annie Booth *

Melvyn Hayes Melvyn Hayes (''né'' Hyams; 11 January 1935) is an English actor and voice over performer. He is best known for playing the effeminate Gunner (later Bombardier) "Gloria" Beaumont in the 1970s BBC sitcom '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'', for appea ...

as Terry *

Keith Marsh Keith Marsh (1926 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor who appeared in numerous television productions over a 50-year period. Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, he is perhaps best known for playing Jacko in the Thames Television sitcom '' ...

as Jacko *

Tommy Godfrey Thomas Frederick Godfrey (20 June 1916 – 24 June 1984) was an English comedian and actor who mostly played working-class Cockney characters. Variety performer He was born in London, and started his career as a tap dancer in variety shows, a ...

as Arthur * Azad Ali as Winston * Arthur English as Carter * Andria Lawrence as Norma * Clifford Mollison as Registrar * Lincoln Webb as Charlie * Norman Chappell as Indian Conductor *

Anna Dawson Anna Dawson (born 27 July 1937) is an English actress and singer. Born in Bolton, Lancashire, Dawson spent part of her childhood in Tanganyika, where her father worked. She attended the Elmhurst Ballet School and after training at the Centra ...

as Betty * Bill Pertwee as Postman *

Pamela Cundell Pamela Isabel Cundell (15 January 1920 – 14 February 2015) was an English character actress. She played Mrs Fox in the long-running TV comedy '' Dad's Army''. She was a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberla ...

as Dolly * Annie Leake as Lil *

Damaris Hayman Damaris Hayman (16 June 1929 – 3 June 2021) was an English actress, often cast in upper class or eccentric roles. She made numerous performance in films and television series from the 1950s onwards. Biography Hayman was born in Kensington, L ...

as Woman on Bus * Siobhan Quinlan as Carol * James Beck as Cyril * Dan Jackson as Black Groom * John Bindon as White Groom *

Lesley Goldie Lesley Goldie is a British actress of the early to mid-1970s, especially and better known for her appearances on ''The Benny Hill Show'' as guest star. Her works also include appearances with Mike & Bernie Winters, Frankie Howerd, Des O'Connor a ...

as White Bride * Nosher Powell as Bus Driver *

Michael Sharvell-Martin Michael Sharvell-Martin (2 February 1944 – 28 October 2010) was a popular British television and stage actor whose career spanned more than three decades. He was a familiar character actor on British television screens, guest-starring in sever ...

as Police Constable * Fred Griffiths as Taxi Driver

Reception

*The film was popular at the box office and ranked as the 15th-most-popular of the year in the U.K.Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio, ''Hammer Films: An Exhaustive Filmography'', McFarland, 1996 p368 *''Britmovie'' wrote: "this dated, politically incorrect tale of bigotries and one-upmanship is sprinkled with ignorant comments and insults that are frequently more laughable than offensive when viewed today."

References

External links

* 1973 films 1973 comedy films British comedy films Hammer Film Productions films Films shot at EMI-Elstree Studios Films based on television series Films set in London EMI Films films 1970s English-language films 1970s British films {{1970s-UK-comedy-film-stub