''Let's Go Crazy'' is a 1951 British short comedy film directed by Alan Cullimore. It was written by and stars

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...

and

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright and actor. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British India, where he spent his ...

playing multiple roles. The film comprises a series of comic sketches and song and dance routines set in a restaurant.

Cast

Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America's greatest comed ...

/ Giuseppe / Cedric / Crystal Jollibottom / Izzy Gozunk *

as Eccles, waiter *

Wallas Eaton Wallas Eaton (18 February 1917 – 3 November 1995), sometimes credited as Wallace Eaton or Wallis Eaton, was an English film, radio, television and theatre actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his voice roles between 1949 and 1960 in th ...

as Mr Jollibottom * Pat Kaye and Betty Ankers as variety act (piano and singer) * Keith Warwick as variety act (singer) * Jean Cavall as variety act (singer) * Tommy Manley as * Florence Austin * Maxin & Johnson as variety act (comedy dancers) *

Freddie Mirfield Freddie or Freddy may refer to: Entertainment *Freddy (comic strip), a newspaper comic strip which ran from 1955 to 1980 * Freddie (Cromartie), a character from the Japanese manga series'' Cromartie High School'' *Freddie (dance), a short-lived 1 ...

and his Garbage Men

Production

According to the

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, d ...

, the film was "opportunistically produced to use up paid-for studio time booked for the proto-Goon comedy '' Penny Points to Paradise'' (d. Tony Young, 1951)" and "was shot in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

over the course of one week."

Critical reception

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' wrote: "the performers are versatile and willing, but presentation lacks imagination and showmanship." ''

Sight and Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (formerly written ''Sight & Sound'') is a monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). Since 1952, it has conducted the well-known decennial ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. ...

'' wrote: "A skit set in a restaurant, it features Sellers in a variety of roles. He impersonates

relatively well but is inspired as a French restaurant manager and is even better as a conceited young English diner called Cedric, pretending to speak French. ("Avez vous le meatloaf salad and deux cups of Ie tea?") Milligan is on form but it's Sellers' protean brilliance that makes this memorable."

References

External links

* 1951 films 1951 comedy films British comedy short films Cultural depictions of the Marx Brothers British black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub