Classic British Comedy
Added 12/15/2009
A wonderful, small political film that explores what would happen if a neighborhood in London discovered it was not actually English soil. This is not a great film, but it is quite enjoyable for fans of British comedy. The townsfolk revel in their newfound independence, enabling them to buy and sell rationed goods at will, allowing the local pub to stay open all hours (and with live music!) and devoiding the sales tax. Things go south though when everyone else in London finds out about this little slice of heaven and wants their piece too.
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Jolly romp through bomb-damaged London
Added 9/24/2009
This Ealing comedy shot in a London still bearing the scars of World War Two features some warhorses of British theater and cinema including Stanley Holloway and Margaret Rutherford.
Pimlico is a part of London near the Thames just below Victoria Station. The story begins when an unexploded bomb dropped by the Germans ignites in a deep hole, revealing a stache of medieval treasures and a rare document. It turns out that King Edward IV bequeathed the small area to the Duke of Burgundy in the 15th century -- and since that gift was never revoked, the street is actually Burgundian territory.
In a Britain still laboring under wartime rationing, the idea of setting up a tax-free shopping zone soons draws mobs of people to Pimlico. The government institutes a blockade -- the plucky Burgundians vow to stand firm.
It's all good natured and amusing, especially Rutherford's performance as a dotty old history professor. But most interesting to me was the picture it draws of London in the late 1940s trying to recover from the devastation of the war.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Great Film
Added 2/12/2009
This very funny British comedy shows what might happen if a section of London, in this case Pimlico, were to declare itself independent from the rest of the UK and its laws, taxes & post-war restrictions. Merry mayhem is what would happen. The explosion of a wartime bomb leads to the discovery of ancient documents which show that Pimlico was ceded to the Duchy of Burgundy centuries ago, a small historical footnote long since forgotten. To the new Burgundians, however, this is an unexpected opportunity to live as they please, free from any interference from Whitehall. Stanley Holloway is excellent as the minor city politician who suddenly finds himself leading one of the world's tiniest nations. Dame Margaret Rutherford is a delight as the history professor who sides with Pimlico. Others in the stand-out cast include Hermione Baddeley, Paul Duplis, Naughton Wayne, Basil Radford & Sir Michael Hordern.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Bob Caccavale
Added 4/17/2008
I've searched for years for one of these movies, well, to my surprise I got all four in one package. They are wounderfully funny,great plots,a beginning, a middle, and a end, and great British humor. could not be happier
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Brit's humor
Added 3/3/2008
The first one we've watched "Whiskey Galore" is a classic and one we've thought of and hoped to see once more for years. It was wonderful to see the cast and the action and the story but our one regret is that it does not have subtitles in English. The sound track is difficult to follow with the accents and it would have been perfect if there were subtitles to read along with the action. It is fun to see all these old classics and it brings back memories but the sound made it difficult.
4 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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Classic British Comedy
Added 12/15/2009
A wonderful, small political film that explores what would happen if a neighborhood in London discovered it was not actually English soil. This is not a great film, but it is quite enjoyable for fans of British comedy. The townsfolk revel in their newfound independence, enabling them to buy and sell rationed goods at will, allowing the local pub to stay open all hours (and with live music!) and devoiding the sales tax. Things go south though when everyone else in London finds out about this little slice of heaven and wants their piece too.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Jolly romp through bomb-damaged London
Added 9/24/2009
This Ealing comedy shot in a London still bearing the scars of World War Two features some warhorses of British theater and cinema including Stanley Holloway and Margaret Rutherford.
Pimlico is a part of London near the Thames just below Victoria Station. The story begins when an unexploded bomb dropped by the Germans ignites in a deep hole, revealing a stache of medieval treasures and a rare document. It turns out that King Edward IV bequeathed the small area to the Duke of Burgundy in the 15th century -- and since that gift was never revoked, the street is actually Burgundian territory.
In a Britain still laboring under wartime rationing, the idea of setting up a tax-free shopping zone soons draws mobs of people to Pimlico. The government institutes a blockade -- the plucky Burgundians vow to stand firm.
It's all good natured and amusing, especially Rutherford's performance as a dotty old history professor. But most interesting to me was the picture it draws of London in the late 1940s trying to recover from the devastation of the war.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Great Film
Added 2/12/2009
This very funny British comedy shows what might happen if a section of London, in this case Pimlico, were to declare itself independent from the rest of the UK and its laws, taxes & post-war restrictions. Merry mayhem is what would happen. The explosion of a wartime bomb leads to the discovery of ancient documents which show that Pimlico was ceded to the Duchy of Burgundy centuries ago, a small historical footnote long since forgotten. To the new Burgundians, however, this is an unexpected opportunity to live as they please, free from any interference from Whitehall. Stanley Holloway is excellent as the minor city politician who suddenly finds himself leading one of the world's tiniest nations. Dame Margaret Rutherford is a delight as the history professor who sides with Pimlico. Others in the stand-out cast include Hermione Baddeley, Paul Duplis, Naughton Wayne, Basil Radford & Sir Michael Hordern.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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