I have always been a big fan of the TV series Man About the House, and have in recent years watched many episodes again on DVD. They are still funny, with many laugh out loud moments.
Well I have finally seen the movie version.
All the main cast and the semi regular Doug Fisher (Larry) appear. The chemistry between the characters largely remains, but the filmed format with muted colours, wider-framed shots and no studio audience, gives the film a less intimate feel. When compared to the original video of the series, much of the warmth and cosiness seems missing.
But the film's main problem is that the story is much too thin (much the same premise as the TV episode "We Shall Not Be Moved") for a feature film. There are no real sub-plots, just the one main story which occupies all the characters. Therefore there is much padding and repetition, and the jokes and situations are all drawn out, weakening their impact and slowing the pace of the film. With the meandering pace, none of the elements really work. The jokes, drawn out within the longer scenes of a feature film, mostly fall flat.
The film opens out the action, introducing some other residents of the row of houses, but these characters (the effeminate gay couple, the lusty nympho, the kept mistress) are such obvious stereotypes that they don't really work. Likewise the location shots like Larry's hazardous driving fail to add much.