Punch & Judy Man is a film of an era long gone like my childhood, in 1963 I was 15 years of age.
I spent my holidays with my family in British seaside holiday resorts, staying in places like Littlehampton and Margate. Or with an Aunt May a Woolworth Manageress, in Conwy North Wales.
In the 1950's and early 1960's Punch and Judy Shows were still a permanent feature of the British holiday, as integral as rain.
For me this film depicted the atypical annual holidays perfectly aptly, the resorts and climate.
Many holiday towns seemed to have something of an identity crisis, of who they actually imagined would be staying at their resort.
That may seem strange but there were resorts like Littlehampton, who appeared to consider themselves more middle class. And targeted their facilities towards attracting, that kind of holidaymaker. While a mere few miles along the coast in the neighbouring resort of Margate the opposite seemed to be the case. A similar case in point is of two resorts in the North of England, of Lytham St. Anne and Blackpool.
Here the resort of Piltdown is run by career politicians in local government, with little to no interest in the people who put them there. Or indeed what they might actually want from their holidays, and expect from the resort.
Wally and Delia Pinner want different things out of their lives, not an uncommon phenomena in many marriages.
Wally hates Piltdown's Yacks while Delia, vainly hopes that she may someday be accepted into Piltdown society.
The Problem however for Delia Pinner is that this self opinionated society, does not want or desire her to be involved with it.
Wally and Delia are however, not a zillion miles apart from each other. Seemingly paradoxically it takes the bun fight, to prove how much they need and mean to each other.
All of the actors played their roles perfectly especially Sylvia Syms, John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd and Mario Fabrizi. Though its a great shame, that Hattie Jacques has only an extremely small cameo part.
Tony Hancock was in his element as Wally Pinner finally, getting the chance to act out of the TV pigeonhole.
I am a huge fan of Tony Hancock on radio, TV and film. Any problems he had were not principally of his own making, rather more of the public consideration of him. The British public have been somewhat conservative, in their viewing habits. Proving themselves to say least unhappy, with any changes in their programmes.
Any other comic simply wanting to change their public persona, would have no problems. But for Hancock well apparently people still cannot find it, in themselves to forgive let alone forget.
I feel compelled to ask will Tony Hancock's memory, be forever blighted by people's own perceptions?
I spent my holidays with my family in British seaside holiday resorts, staying in places like Littlehampton and Margate. Or with an Aunt May a Woolworth Manageress, in Conwy North Wales.
In the 1950's and early 1960's Punch and Judy Shows were still a permanent feature of the British holiday, as integral as rain.
For me this film depicted the atypical annual holidays perfectly aptly, the resorts and climate.
Many holiday towns seemed to have something of an identity crisis, of who they actually imagined would be staying at their resort.
That may seem strange but there were resorts like Littlehampton, who appeared to consider themselves more middle class. And targeted their facilities towards attracting, that kind of holidaymaker. While a mere few miles along the coast in the neighbouring resort of Margate the opposite seemed to be the case. A similar case in point is of two resorts in the North of England, of Lytham St. Anne and Blackpool.
Here the resort of Piltdown is run by career politicians in local government, with little to no interest in the people who put them there. Or indeed what they might actually want from their holidays, and expect from the resort.
Wally and Delia Pinner want different things out of their lives, not an uncommon phenomena in many marriages.
Wally hates Piltdown's Yacks while Delia, vainly hopes that she may someday be accepted into Piltdown society.
The Problem however for Delia Pinner is that this self opinionated society, does not want or desire her to be involved with it.
Wally and Delia are however, not a zillion miles apart from each other. Seemingly paradoxically it takes the bun fight, to prove how much they need and mean to each other.
All of the actors played their roles perfectly especially Sylvia Syms, John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd and Mario Fabrizi. Though its a great shame, that Hattie Jacques has only an extremely small cameo part.
Tony Hancock was in his element as Wally Pinner finally, getting the chance to act out of the TV pigeonhole.
I am a huge fan of Tony Hancock on radio, TV and film. Any problems he had were not principally of his own making, rather more of the public consideration of him. The British public have been somewhat conservative, in their viewing habits. Proving themselves to say least unhappy, with any changes in their programmes.
Any other comic simply wanting to change their public persona, would have no problems. But for Hancock well apparently people still cannot find it, in themselves to forgive let alone forget.
I feel compelled to ask will Tony Hancock's memory, be forever blighted by people's own perceptions?