Press for Time ** (1966, Norman Wisdom, Derek Bond, Angela Browne, Derek Francis, Noel Dyson, Peter Jones, David Lodge) – Classic Movie Review 8652

As the punning title of the 1966 Rank Organisation slapstick comedy Press for Time suggests, Norman Wisdom plays a reporter on a local seaside newspaper at Tinmouth, where he has been hidden away by his grandfather, the British Prime Minister, after being happily employed as a newspaper vendor outside Westminster station. He covers a beauty contest, which his girlfriend Liz (Frances White) wins.

Wisdom doesn’t know when to stop – he has three roles, one of them in drag – but his fans will still find him quite appealing. Those roles are Norman Shields, his mother Emily and his grandfather the British PM, Wilfred.

Director Robert Asher is too easy-going at the helm, over-extending some amusing gags and some unfunny pathos, and over-extending the running time too. But the appealing 1960s British support cast compensates.

The screenplay by Norman Wisdom and Eddie Leslie is derived from Angus McGill’s 1963 novel Yea Yea Yea.

Though it is set the fictional seaside town of Tinmouth, it is partly filmed in the real seaside town of Teignmouth in Devon.

Also in the cast are Derek Bond, Angela Browne, Derek Francis, Noel Dyson, Peter Jones, David Lodge, Allan Cuthbertson, Tony Selby, Michael Balfour, Stanley Unwin, Totti Truman Taylor, Tracey Crisp, Frances White, George Roderick, Michael Bilton, Norman Pitt, Toni Gilpin, Gordon Rollings, Imogen Hassall and Hazel Coppen.

It is alleged that it contains Helen Mirren’s first film appearance in the uncredited role of Penelope.

It was Wisdom’s last film for the Rank Organisation.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8652

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