SIR HENRY AT RAWLINSON END
Steve Roberts, 1980
This extremely British comedy features Trevor Howard lurking about a mansion in search of a ghost. It's the spirit of his brother, Vivian Stanshall, who had been accidentally shot by Howard. Stanshall had been wearing no pants when he was killed and must regain his trousers if his spirit is ever to rest. This is an utterly delightful example of stylish, bawdy British humor at its naughty best. Employing elements of Ealing Studio horror films with a good dash of Monty Python gags mixed in, the film is directed with style. The black-and-white cinematography adds to the atmosphere, and the players carry out their roles with restrained glee. Originally this had been a British radio show, then a popular recording, before being transferred to film. The film's production company was a division of Charisma Records, the company that released the recorded version of the tale. Not for everyone but certainly a must for fans of this sort of humor.
Country of Origin: U.K.
Genre: Comedy
Color or b/w: Black & White
Production Co(s).: Charisma
MPAA Rating: NR
Parental Rating: Objectionable for children
Running Time: 72
Trevor Howard as Sir Henry Rawlinson
Patrick Magee as Rev. Slodden
Denise Coffey as Mrs. E.
J.G. Devlin as Old Scrotum
Harry Fowler as Buller Bullethead
Sheila Reid as Florrie
Vivian Stanshall as Hubert Rawlinson
Suzanne Danielle as Candice
Daniel Gerroll as Rafe
Ben Aris as Lord Tarquin of Staines
Liz Smith as Lady Philippa of Staines
Jeremy Child as Peregrine
Susan Prorett as Porcelain
Producer/Tony Stratton Smith
Exec. Producer/Martin Wesson
Director/Steve Roberts
Writer/Steve Roberts/Vivian Stanshall
Editor/Chris Rose
Musical Composer/Vivian Stanshall
Art Director/Jim Acheson
Cinematographer/Martin Bell
Ki, who can't help it, notes: they got it rather wrong. Vivian does not play the dead brother, pantless and unrested. He plays the youngest quite alive Hubert, in his Forties and still unusual. But never mind.
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