''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a 1973 British

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Cliff Owen Cliff Owen (22 April 1919 – November 1993) was a British film and Television director, TV director. He directed ''The Wrong Arm of the Law'' (1963), two of the three mid-1960s Morecambe and Wise films, and the 1972 film version of the BBC sitco ...

and starring

Ronnie Corbett Ronald Balfour Corbett (4 December 1930 – 31 March 2016) was a Scottish actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer. He had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the BBC television comedy sketch show ''The Two Ronnies''. He achieved promine ...

Ian Ogilvy Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English actor, playwright and novelist. Early life Ogilvy was born in Woking, Surrey, England, to Francis Fairfield Ogilvy, brother of advertising executive David Ogilvy, and actress Aileen R ...

Susan Penhaligon Susan Penhaligon (born 3 July 1949) is a Cornish actress and writer known for her role in the drama series '' Bouquet of Barbed Wire'' (1976), and for playing Helen Barker in the sitcom '' A Fine Romance'' (1981–1984). She appeared in the s ...

and

Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad ...

. It was written by

Brian Cooke Brian Cooke (born 1937) is a British comedy writer who, with co-writer Johnnie Mortimer, penned scripts for and devised many top 1970s/80s television sitcoms, including '' Man About the House'', '' George and Mildred'', and '' Robin's Nest''. ...

amd

Johnnie Mortimer John Edward Mortimer (2 July 1930 – 2 September 1992) was a British scriptwriter for British TV whose work, along with creative writing partner Brian Cooke, also served as inspiration for American television projects. Career John Edward ...

based on the 1971 play ''

No Sex Please, We're British ''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a British farce written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, which premiered in London's West End on 3 June 1971 at the Strand Theatre. It was panned by critics, but ran until 5 September 1987, transferr ...

'' by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, with multiple changes in the film adaptation.

Synopsis

Runnicles, a clerk in a small-town British bank (openly depicted in the film as the branch of

Barclays Bank Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...

in Windsor High Street), is horrified when a package arrives containing pornography, rather than the new calculator he expected. His efforts to dispose of it, while avoiding detection, turn into a farcical series of events involving a bank inspector, the police, and a local criminal to whom the pornography actually belongs.

Cast

as Brian Runnicles *

as David Hunter *

as Penny Hunter *

Beryl Reid Beryl Elizabeth Reid (17 June 1919 – 13 October 1996) was a British actress. She won the 1967 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for '' The Killing of Sister George'', the 1980 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for '' Born in th ...

as Bertha Hunter *

as Mr Bromley * Michael Bates as Mr Needham *

Cheryl Hall Cheryl Hall (born 23 July 1950) is a British retired actress. She is best known for playing Shirley Johnson in the British sitcom ''Citizen Smith'' (1977–1979) and had a recurring role as Sadie in ''The Bill'' (1984–1988). Biography One o ...

as Daphne Martin * David Swift as Inspector Paul *

Deryck Guyler Deryck Bower Guyler (29 April 1914 – 7 October 1999) was an English actor, best remembered for appearances in sitcoms such as ''Please Sir!'' and ''Sykes (TV series), Sykes''. Early life Guyler was born in Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, C ...

as Park keeper * Valerie Leon as Susan *

Margaret Nolan Margaret Ann Nolan (29 October 1943 – 5 October 2020) was an English actress, visual artist and glamour model. She appeared in '' Goldfinger'', '' A Hard Day's Night'' and six '' Carry On'' films, and also regularly appeared on screen from t ...

as Barbara *

Gerald Sim Gerald Grant Sim (4 June 1925 – 11 December 2014) was an English television and film actor who is perhaps best known for having played the Rector in '' To the Manor Born''. Early life Sim was born in Liverpool, Lancashire. He was the younger ...

as Reverend Mower *

John Bindon John Dennis Arthur Bindon (4 October 1943 – 10 October 1993) was an English actor and bodyguard who had close links with the London underworld. The son of a London cab driver, Bindon was frequently in trouble as a youth for getting into fi ...

as Pete *

Stephen Greif Stephen John Greif (; 26 August 1944 – 23 December 2022) was an English actor known for his roles as Travis in ''Blake's 7'', Harry Fenning in three series of '' Citizen Smith'', Signor Donato in '' Casanova'' and Commander John Shepherd in ...

as Niko *

Michael Robbins Michael Anthony Robbins (14 November 1930 – 11 December 1992) was an English actor best known for his role as Arthur Rudge in the television sitcom '' On the Buses'' (1969–73) and its film spinoffs. Early life Michael Robbins was born in ...

as car driver *

Frank Thornton Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was best known for playing Captain Peacock in the TV sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel '' Grace & Favour'' (''A ...

as glass shop manager *

Michael Ripper Michael George Ripper (27 January 1913 – 28 June 2000) was an English character actor who appeared in many British horror and science fiction films. Career Ripper began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 195 ...

as traffic warden *

Lloyd Lamble Lloyd Nelson Lamble (8 February 1914 – 17 March 2008) was an Australian actor who worked in theatre, television, radio and film. He lived and worked for most of his life in the United Kingdom. Biography Personal life Lloyd Lamble was born in ...

as American man *

Mavis Villiers Mavis Villiers (born Mavis Clare Cooney; 10 December 190923 February 1976) was an Australian-born British actress of stage, film and television. Her parents were John Cooney and Clara Smythe. Her brother, Cecil Cooney, was a camera operator an ...

as American lady *

Sydney Bromley Sidney Charles Bromley (24 July 1909 – 14 August 1987GRO Register of Deaths: AUG 1987 18 2293 WORTHING - Sydney Charles Bromley DoB = 24 Jul 1909 aged 78), credited as Sydney Bromley, was an English character actor. He appeared in more than s ...

as rag & bone man *

Brian Wilde Brian George Wilde (13 June 1927 – 20 March 2008) was an English actor best known for his roles in television comedy, most notably Mr Barrowclough in ''Porridge (1974 TV series), Porridge'' and Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in ''Last of the Summer ...

as policeman in park *

Eric Longworth Eric Groves Longworth (20 July 1918 – 20 August 2008) was a British actor, best known for his semi-regular role in the BBC comedy ''Dad's Army'' as Mr Gordon, the town clerk of Walmington-on-Sea. Life and career Longworth was born in Shaw and ...

as man with lighter * Edward Sinclair as postman * Fred Griffiths as delivery man * Lucy Griffiths as spinster lady *

Robin Askwith Robin Mark Askwith (born 12 October 1950) is an English actor and singer who has appeared in a number of film, television and stage productions. Making his film debut as Keating in the film '' if....'' (1968), a role he would reprise in '' Brit ...

as baker's delivery man

Critical reception

In ''

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' John Gillett wrote: "Cliff Owen directs at a frenetic pace throughout, with everyone charging through doors and shouting madly. He occasionally mines some genuine comedy from the sheer pile-up of incident; but the material finally defeats him, and even the climactic car chase turns out a very flat set-piece. The actors do their British best to keep the laughs coming, with Ronnie Corbett working hard in his characteristic stuttering style, while Arthur Lowe turns in a neat and unexaggerated portrait of the glowering bank manager and Michael Bates provides a sharp cameo as a much put-upon bank inspector. " Writing in 1979, at the time of the American release, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reviewer commented: "In its own way, it is well done ... (with) its simple-minded and by now rather outdated double and triple entendres." In ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' Tony Sloman gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "One of the West End's longest running comic farces arrived on the screen virtually intact, but with a significantly different leading man. Whereas

Michael Crawford Michael Patrick Smith (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian and singer. Crawford is best known for playing the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', Cornel ...

had consolidated both career and image by instigating the gawky, inadvertent gauche lead on stage, in the film the role went to the diminutive British comedian Ronnie Corbett. Corbett does well by the hackneyed plot, and underrated director Cliff Owen keeps up the pace." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' said: "A pleasing performance from Corbett ... saves this otherwise average British farce from the usual doldrums."

References

External links

* * {{Cooke and Mortimer 1973 films 1973 comedy films 1973 in England British comedy films Films about sexual repression Films directed by Cliff Owen Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films set in Windsor, Berkshire Columbia Pictures films 1970s English-language films 1970s British films Films scored by Eric Rogers (composer)