Carlton-Browne of the F O *** (1959, Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Luciana Paluzzi) – Classic Movie Review 1848

Co-writer/co-director Roy Boulting and his producer brother John Boulting turn their attention to sending up the British Foreign Office in 1959 in another one of their series of highly successful satirical comedies of the period.

This Boulting Brothers’ genial spoof has the inestimable blessing of starring Terry-Thomas as the titular Cadogan de Vere Carlton-Browne of the FO and Peter Sellers as the foreign prime minister, Señor Amphibulos.

And, as if that were not attraction enough, there’s also a vintage comedy cast led by Thorley Walters (colonel), Raymond Huntley (as the Foreign Secretary Tufton Slade), Miles Malleson (resident adviser) and John le Mesurier (grand duke) in zesty supporting turns.

Britain has had an international agreement for 50 years with a small pacific island. When its king dies, the Foreign Office decides to send Carlton-Browne to re-establish friendly relations. Disappointingly, this story is rather sloppily written and filmed without any special flair. But it’s still delightfully funny, and it is memorable as proving one of the glorious Terry-Thomas’s best appearances.

Ian Bannen (as Young King Loris), Luciana Paluzzi (as Her Serene Highness Princess Ilyen), Marie Lohr, Kynaston Reeves, John Van Eyssen, Nicholas Parsons, Irene Handl, Harry Locke, Marianne Stone, Ronald Adam, Basil Dignam and Sam Kydd also appear.

It was called Man in a Cocked Hat in the US. Jeffrey Dell is co-writer/co-director.

The two stars had previously played together in Tom Thumb (1958).

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1848

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