Confessions of a Driving Instructor ** (1976, Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth, Bill Maynard, Sheila White, Doris Hare, Liz Fraser, Windsor Davies, Irene Handl, George Layton, Lynda Bellingham) – Classic Movie Review 6.875

The mucky 1976 British sex comedy film Confessions of a Driving Instructor finds plucky Robin Askwith back for a third time as Timmy Lea, now as a driving instructor enjoying yet another series of sexual encounters.

‘Girls drive him wild… and he loves it!’

Producer-director Norman Cohen’s mucky lowbrow 1976 British end-of-the-pier-type sex comedy (or maybe dirty seaside postcard-style comedy) Confessions of a Driving Instructor finds plucky Robin Askwith back for a third time as Timothy ‘Timmy’ Lea for his penultimate Confessions adventure, this time as a driving instructor who enjoys yet another series of sexual encounters.

With a rip-roaring and racy script by the real Timothy Lea (that is Christopher Wood), it also again stars Anthony Booth as Timmy’s brother-in-law Sidney Noggett, this time his partner in a driving school business, Bill Maynard as Timmy’s dad Mr Lea, Doris Hare as Mrs Lea, and Sheila White as Rosie Noggett.

Robin Askwith,and Liz Fraser in Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976).

Also in the cast are Liz Fraser as lusty landlady Mrs Chalmers, Windsor Davies as Mr Truscott, Irene Handl as Miss Slenderparts (really? – that’s worthy of a Carry On movie!), George Layton as Tony Bender (really? – that’s unworthy of a Carry On movie!), Lynda Bellingham in her debut movie role as Mary Truscott, Avril Angers as Mrs Truscott, Ballard Berkeley, Peter Godfrey, John Junkin, Suzy Mandel, Chrissy Iddon, Damaris Hayman, Sally Faulkner, Anthony Morton, Maxine Casson, Sally Adez, Donald Hewlett, Daniel Chamberlain and Geoffrey Hughes.

Lewis Collins has early small role as a bearded rugby player, just before he found fame as Bodie in the classic TV show The Professionals (1977). The other members of the Monks Hill Rugger Team are Rocky Taylor, Bill Hemmings, Christopher Driscoll, Matt Kilroy and Terry Richards.

In the vintage, super-talented comedy cast, Windsor Davies, Avril Angers, Irene Handl and especially Liz Fraser all stand out. There is so much zest and glee in the playing that it drives me to distraction that the performers didn’t get better scripts to work on.

Christopher Wood’s screenplay is based on his novel, writing as Timothy Lea.

Robin Askwith was born on 12 October 1950 in Southport, Lancashire.

Confessions of a Driving Instructor is directed by Norman Cohen, runs 90 minutes, is a Swiftdown production, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Christopher Wood (aka Timothy Lea), based on the novel by Christopher Wood (aka Timothy Lea), is shot in Eastmancolor by Ken Hodges, is produced by Michael Klinger (executive producer), Norman Cohen and Greg Smith, and is scored by Ed Welch, with Production Design by Albert Witherick.

Confessions from a Holiday Camp followed in 1977, again with Askwith and Booth starring.

It follows Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974) and Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975).

Christopher Wood (5 November 1935 – 9 May 2015), best known for the Confessions series of novels and films which he wrote as Timothy Lea, also adapted two James Bond novels for the screen: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977, with Richard Maibaum) and Moonraker (1979).

Poignantly in February 2015, Askwith was one of the many guests at the memorial service in London to Lynda Bellingham, who passed away in October 2014 after a battle with cancer.

RIP Anthony Booth (9 October 1931 – 25 September 2017), best known for his role as Mike Rawlins in the BBC TV series and movie spinoff Till Death Us Do Part, who stars as Sidney Noggett alongside Askwith in the Confessions series.

RIP Bill Maynard (8 October 1928 – 30 March 2018), who co-stars as Mr Lea in the Confessions series.

RIP Liz Frazer, who died on 6 September 2018, aged 88). She re-appears as Mrs Whitemonk in Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,875

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