Episode 204 - Carry On Jack (1964)
Reel Britannia
All at Sea with a Slightly Different Crew For episode 204 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we are taking to the high seas and hoisting the mainsail for the 1964 nautical romp, Carry On Jack. The story follows the earnest but hopelessly inept Albert Poop-Decker (the brilliant Bernard Cribbins), who takes a commission as a midshipman on the frigate Venus. Naturally, things go pear-shaped before he even leaves the tavern, leading to a frantic voyage involving a stolen identity, a remarkably resourceful young woman named Sally (Juliet Mills), and the decidedly cowardly Captain Fearless...
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Episode 203 - Casino Royale (1967)
Reel Britannia
A Licence to Confuse and a Swinging Sixties Spectacle For episode 203 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we are tumbling down a deeply psychedelic cinematic rabbit hole with the delightfully baffling 1967 spoof, Casino Royale. The premise, should you choose to try and follow it, sees the original, legendary Sir James Bond (David Niven) coaxed out of a genteel retirement to take down the nefarious syndicate SMERSH. His tactical masterstroke? Confusing the enemy by renaming every single active agent—male or female—James Bond. Naturally, absolute chaos ensues. Produced by...
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Episode 202- The Square Peg (1958)
Reel Britannia
Digging Up Trouble Behind Enemy Lines For episode 202 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we’re trading our civvies for khaki and marching straight into the chaotic world of a genuine British comedy icon. This time around, the team is discussing the 1958 Norman Wisdom classic, The Square Peg. Directed by John Paddy Carstairs and written by Jack Davies, the film follows the hapless road mender Norman Pitkin (Wisdom, naturally) and his perpetually flustered boss Mr Grimsdale (Edward Chapman) as they find themselves unexpectedly drafted into the Pioneer Corps. Before long, the pair are...
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Episode 201 - The Commitments (1991)
Reel Britannia
Dublin soul, magnificent music and enough creative differences to sink a small record label. This episode was recorded a couple of weeks ago, before the terribly sad news of Glen Hansard’s death earlier this week. We remember him with great affection as Outspan Foster, one of the unforgettable faces and voices at the heart of The Commitments. Dublin has the music. Jimmy Rabbitte has the ambition. What he does not yet have is a band, any money, or the faintest idea how to keep a roomful of volatile musicians from throttling one another. This time on Reel Britannia, Scott is joined by...
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Episode 200 - Porridge - The Movie (1979)
Reel Britannia
Fletch Gets Out. Getting Back In Is the Tricky Bit. For its landmark 200th episode, Reel Britannia is heading behind bars for Porridge – The Movie, the 1979 big-screen outing for one of Britain’s best-loved television comedies. Ronnie Barker returns as the wily Norman Stanley Fletcher, still doing his best to serve his sentence with the minimum possible effort. Alongside him is Richard Beckinsale as the good-natured Lennie Godber, while Fulton Mackay’s fearsome Mr Mackay and Brian Wilde’s endlessly flustered Mr Barrowclough attempt to maintain something vaguely resembling order at...
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Episode 199 - The Wrong Arm Of The Law (1963)
Reel Britannia
When the crooks and the coppers join forces, London’s criminal underworld is in very confused hands. For Episode 199, Reel Britannia slips into the sharply dressed, cheerfully crooked world of The Wrong Arm of the Law, a 1963 British crime comedy in which the nation’s criminals discover that even dishonesty was better organised in the old days. Peter Sellers stars as Pearly Gates, a suave London gang boss who divides his time between running a fashion house and supervising a criminal organisation with the efficiency of a suburban business. His employees may be thieves, but they enjoy...
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Episode 198 - Hammer Britannia 024 - Nightmare (1964)
Reel Britannia
Hammer opens the door to a nightmare where every shadow has a secret. For the latest episode of Reel Britannia, we step into the chilly corridors and troubled dreams of Nightmare, Hammer’s 1964 psychological thriller from director Freddie Francis and writer Jimmy Sangster. This is Hammer without the fangs, capes, castles, or buckets of Kensington Gore. Instead, it gives us something colder and more unsettling: a black-and-white tale of fear, memory, manipulation and madness, where the terror creeps in quietly and then refuses to leave. The story follows Janet, a young woman haunted by...
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Episode 197 - The Tall Guy (1989)
Reel Britannia
Episode 197 - The Tall Guy (1989) “What in the name of Judas Iscariot's bumboy is going on?” Dexter King (Jeff Goldblum) is an awkward American actor stranded in London, suffering from severe hay fever and a chronic case of career stagnation. His day job consists of being repeatedly humiliated on stage as the hapless straight man to Ron Anderson (Rowan Atkinson), a spectacularly arrogant and insecure British comedian who wields his ego like a blunt instrument. Dexter's miserable existence takes a sharp upward turn when a trip to the clinic for allergy shots introduces him to Kate...
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Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960)
Reel Britannia
Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960) "Hard cheese old boy!" School for Scoundrels is one of those wonderfully sharp British comedies that takes something faintly ridiculous and plays it with a completely straight face, which of course makes it even funnier. Released in 1960, it follows Henry Palfrey, a polite, mild-mannered man who seems to be permanently stuck on the losing side of life. He is decent, respectable and reasonably successful on paper, yet somehow he always ends up second best, especially when faced with people who have more confidence, more nerve and rather fewer...
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Episode 195 - Home At Seven (1952)
Reel Britannia
Episode 195 - Home At Seven (1952) He came home on time... a day too late. Home at Seven is a neatly unsettling British mystery that begins with one of the simplest ideas imaginable and turns it into something deeply unnerving. David Preston, a mild-mannered bank clerk, arrives home after work expecting an ordinary evening with his wife. Instead, he is met with shock, confusion and growing alarm, because as far as everyone else is concerned, he has not been gone for the day. He has been missing for over twenty-four hours. David is utterly baffled. To him, nothing is wrong. He left work,...
info_outlineEpisode 188 - Just My Luck (1957)
"Choose Your Entertainment With "WISDOM"!!"
Just My Luck (1957) is a sparkling slice of postwar British comedy that captures both the optimism and the charm of its era. Starring the ever-appealing Norman Wisdom as Norman Hackett, a humble jeweller’s apprentice with big dreams, the film follows his hapless but heartfelt attempts to turn his fortunes around. Norman, eternally late and forever in trouble at work, is secretly besotted with glamorous shop assistant Anne (delightfully played by Jill Dixon). When he overhears that she’s a fan of racing, he decides to risk everything by placing a series of bets—turning a simple flutter into a full-blown adventure.
What follows is a joyful run of misunderstandings, slapstick chaos and bursts of romantic idealism, all propelled by Wisdom’s trademark physical comedy and irrepressible energy. He tumbles, stumbles, and careens through life with that winning mix of innocence and determination that made him Britain’s favourite underdog. The climax at the racetrack—where Norman’s luck finally turns in spectacular fashion—delivers a perfectly timed payoff that leaves audiences smiling.
Behind the laughter, Just My Luck shows the craftsmanship of director John Paddy Carstairs, who had honed Wisdom’s screen persona across several Ealing-flavoured comedies. Shot at Pinewood Studios, the film’s brisk pacing, colourful sets, and lively orchestral score give it a polish that stands out among the decade’s feel-good comedies.
On release, it proved another box-office hit for Wisdom, confirming his status as the British everyman who could make misfortune look hilarious. Critics admired its warmth and verve, and audiences adored its blend of humour, heart, and a touch of fantasy—the notion that sheer enthusiasm might be enough to change one’s destiny.
Buoyant, bright, and brimming with optimism, Just My Luck remains a charming reminder that sometimes fortune really does favour the foolishly brave.
