Three Men in a Boat (1956) Directed by Ken Annakin
Comedy
Film Review
Ken Annakin's adaptation of Jerome K. Jerome's popular novel Three Men in a Boat is a spirited,
albeit pretty aimless, farce which captures much of the fun of the
original story, without adhering religiously to its plot (what there is
of it). Whilst not as entertaining as the director's later comedy
epics Those Magnificent Men in Their
Flying Machines (1965) and Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969),
this offers some memorable comic set-pieces, the best of which is the
hilarious Hampton Court Maze sequence. The humour is pretty
juvenile, which means that the film is more likely to appeal to
children than adults. It is worth watching the film to see
Laurence Harvey in a rare comic role, although Jimmy Edwards is the
only member of the cast who feels truly at ease with the film's
boisterous slapstick.
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Next Ken Annakin film: Crooks Anonymous (1962)
Film Synopsis
London, in the late 19th Century. Harris is lamenting his forthcoming
engagement to a young society girl when his friend J. suggests that
they take a boating holiday on the River Thames. This they have been
meaning to do for years and now, with both men needing a break from
feminine intrusion in their lives, would appear to be an ideal time to
do so. Their mutual friend George, a banker's clerk, is at first
reluctant to join them but agrees when he learns that the father of one
of his many female diversions is heading his way with a
horsewhip. Starting at Kingston-upon-Thames, the three men intend
to row as far as Oxford, where they will enjoy a cricket match.
Things get off to a bad start when Harris and J. lose themselves in the
maze at Hampton Court Palace, whilst George works his charm on three
eligible, and highly desirable, young women. Bad weather and
minor camping disasters do not deter our three intrepid heroes,
although their unwitting success in sabotaging the Henley Regatta makes
you wonder where it will all end...
A wave of fresh talent in the late 1950s, early 1960s brought about a dramatic renaissance in French cinema, placing the auteur at the core of France's 7th art.