The Night We Got the Bird

1961 British film by Darcy Conyers

  • 1961 (1961)
Running time
82 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish

The Night We Got the Bird is a 1961 British comedy film directed by Darcy Conyers and starring Brian Rix, Dora Bryan, Ronald Shiner and Irene Handl.[1] It is based on Basil Thomas's 1957 play The Lovebirds.[2]

It was the follow-up to The Night We Dropped a Clanger (1959), and includes the last film appearance by Ronald Shiner.

The title references a phrase in British English with its origin in the world of 19th century theatre, where it was customary to hiss like a goose to express disapproval.[3][4]

Plot

When unscrupulous Brighton antiques dealer Cecil Gibson dies in a road accident, his widow Julie remarries, and her new husband Bertie was Cecil's innocent but naive business partner. One of their wedding presents, from an unknown source, is a mouthy South American parrot, which appears to be a reincarnated Cecil whose aim is to make married life difficult for Bertie. As Bertie and Julie go off on their honeymoon, they are chased by a gangster because of a fake antique bed that the late Cecil substituted for the real thing which he then sold for a profit.

Cast

  • Brian Rix as Bertie Skidmore
  • Dora Bryan as Julie Skidmore
  • Ronald Shiner as Cecil Gibson
  • Leo Franklyn as Victor
  • Liz Fraser as Fay
  • Irene Handl as Ma
  • Terry Scott as P. C. Lovejoy
  • Reginald Beckwith as Chippendale Charlie
  • John Le Mesurier as court clerk

Production

The film was made at Shepperton Studios, Surrey, England, and on location.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Really rather a lamentable example of British slapstick, studded with hoary gags about honeymoons, dominating mothers, discarded trousers and all manner of cloacal by-play. The brisk pace fails to make up for an appalling lack of discrimination, and only one good scene, with John Le Mesurier as a long-suffering Court Clerk and Kynaston Reeves as a deaf magistrate, manages to emerge above the general seaside-postcard level."[5]

TV Guide wrote, "sophomoric British comedy ...The script finds lots of excuses for people to lose their pants and make vulgar, inane sexual jokes that wouldn't amuse a 10-year-old."[6]

Allmovie wrote, "several hilarious slapstick scenes involving chases or sexual encounters, as well as the more reserved wit found in caricatures like an inept magistrate, are all hallmarks of a typically British sense of humor here (shared by many non-Brits)."[7]

Sky movies wrote, "a fast and furious farce ...With humour that's a notch below the contemporary 'Carry On' films. Never mind, there are some priceless cameo performances from the supporting cast, including Robertson Hare as a dithering doctor, John le Mesurier as a long-suffering court clerk, Kynaston Reeves, hilarious as a deaf magistrate, and Terry Scott as a constable."[8]

References

  1. ^ "The Night We Got the Bird". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The Night We Got the Bird (1960) - Darcy Conyers | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  3. ^ "Definition of 'get the bird'". Collins. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Origin of: Give someone the bird". Idiom Origins. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  5. ^ "The Night We Got the Bird". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 27 (312): 171. 1 January 1960 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ "The Night We Got The Bird Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  7. ^ "The Night We Got the Bird (1961) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast". AllMovie. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  8. ^ "The Night We Got the Bird - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 24 May 2002. Retrieved 4 March 2014.

External links

  • The Night We Got the Bird at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  • The Night We Got the Bird then-and-now location photographs at ReelStreets
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