I Only Arsked! is a 1958 British comedy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin and Alfie Bass.[1] The screenplay was by Sid Colin and Jack Davies based on the television series The Army Game (1957–1961) and was made by Hammer Films.
| I Only Arsked! | |
|---|---|
.jpg) British quad poster | |
| Directed by | Montgomery Tully |
| Screenplay by | Sid Colin Jack Davies |
| Produced by | Anthony Hinds |
| Starring | Bernard Bresslaw Michael Medwin Alfie Bass |
| Cinematography | Lionel Banes |
| Edited by | James Needs Alfred Cox |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures Corporation (UK) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editSlapstick ensues when inept army recruits are transferred to a post in the Middle East.
Cast
edit- Bernard Bresslaw as Private "Popeye" Popplewell
- Michael Medwin as Corporal Springer
- Alfie Bass as Private "Excused Boots" Bisley
- Geoffrey Sumner as Major Upshott-Bagley
- Charles Hawtrey as Private "Professor" Hatchett
- Norman Rossington as Private "Cupcake" Cook
- David Lodge as Sergeant "Potty" Chambers
- Arthur Howard as Sir Redvers
- Marne Maitland as King Fazim
- Michael Bentine as Fred
- Francis Matthews as Mahmoud
- Michael Ripper as Azim
- Wolfe Morris as Salaman
- Ewan MacDuff as Ferrers
- Basil Dignam as General Bender
- Martin Boddey as Colonel Danvers
- Claire Gordon as harem girl
- Marie Devereux as harem girl
Reception
editBox office
editAccording to Kinematograph Weekly the film performed "better than average" at the British box office in 1959.[2]
Critical
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Two acid take-offs of memorable scenes in Bridge on the River Kwai and a few moments of communal insanity from the five practised actors who take the brunt of the action are the highlights of this modest and relaxed army lark. There is no departure here from the tradition of service farces, except that some, at least, of its humour is composed of private jokes inherited from the TV programme from which the idea was taken."[3]
Allmovie wrote, "The level of humour in I Only Arsked! will perhaps best be appreciated by fans of the original series";[4] while TV Guide noted "An enjoyable British slapstick comedy."[5]
References
edit- ^ "I Only Arsked!". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ Billings, Josh (17 December 1959). "Other better-than-average offerings". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 7.
- ^ "I Only Arsked!". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (288): 156. 1 January 1958 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "I Only Asked! (1958) - Montgomery Tully - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie".
- ^ "I Only Arsked!". TV Guide.
External links
edit
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