San Ferry Ann *** (1965, David Lodge, Joan Sims, Wilfrid Brambell, Ron Moody, Barbara Windsor, Ronnie Stevens, Rodney Bewes) Classic Movie Review 6337

Director Jeremy Summers’s inventive and amusing 1965 British short comedy tells the story of the misadventures of a British camper-van family led by Dad and Mum (David Lodge, Joan Sims) wordlessly with just a soundtrack and sound effects.

The story has them riding the San Ferry Ann on a weekend holiday sea crossing from Dover to the French coast at Calais. Running 55 minutes, it is written and produced by comedy expert Bob Kellett. Oddly, such wordless support feature comedies were in vogue at the time.

Barbara Windsor plays a saucy hitchhiker who attracts the attention of a fellow hitchhiker (Ronnie Stevens, while Wilfrid Brambell also stays in stereotypical character as the lewd granddad who finds a new friend in a crazy German ex-soldier (Ron Moody). Chubby-cheeked British comedy actor Rodney Bewes plays Lover Boy.

Also in the vintage cast are Catherine Feller as Lover Girl, Graham Stark as Gendarme, Lynne Carol as Grandma, Warren Mitchell as Maitre d’Hotel, Aubrey Woods as Immigration Officer, Hugh Paddick as French Commercial Traveller, Joan Sterndale-Bennett as Madame, Sandor Elès as Shop Attendant, Fred Emney as Gourmet, Barrie Gosney as Mini Dad, Bettine Le Beau as French War Museum Attendant and Andreas Malandrinos as Garage Mechanic.

Ronnie Stevens in San Ferry Ann (1965).

RIP Ronnie Stevens (2 September 1925 – 11 November 2006), Aubrey Woods (9 April 1928 – 7 May 2013, RIP Graham Stark (20 January 1922 – 29 October 2013), RIP Ron Moody (8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015), RIP Warren Mitchell (14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015), RIP Rodney Bewes (27 November 1937 – 21 November 2017).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6337

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