That’s Your Funeral *** (1972, Bill Fraser, Raymond Huntley, David Battley) – Classic Movie Review 5082

Director John Robins’s 1972 British comedy is a drolly amusing movie spinoff from the TV sitcom of 1971, effectively exploiting both the black comedy inherent in the funerals business and its elderly stars’ comic brilliance. It is written by Peter Lewis, based on his TV series that ran for just seven episodes in 1970-1971. It is made by Hammer Films, returning to their original brief of making TV and radio spinoffs.

Bill Fraser and Raymond Huntley are peerless as Basil Bulstrode and Emmanuel Holroyd, the lugubrious undertakers happy to be called upon to bury their only competitor. Then his funeral parlour reopens as a high-tech Haven of Rest, a cover for nefarious activities when coffins are used to smuggle drugs.

Even if some of the comedy dies a sorry death, Huntley and Fraser are priceless assets, and cast of British favourites, now alas almost all themselves dear deaprted, do their utmost to please.

Last film of veteran comedy actor Hugh Paddick, as the window dresser,

Michael Ripper (1913–2000) appears as Arthur the railway porter in his 33^rd and final Hammer film, starting with The Adventures of PC 49 (1949).

Also in the lovely cast are David Battley as Percy (also from the TV show), Roy Kinnear, John Ronane, Dennis Price, Sue Lloyd as Miss Peach, Richard Wattis, Eric Barker, John Sharp, Frank Thornton, Geoffrey Sumner, Dudley Foster, Bob Todd, Michael Robbins, Ken Parry, Clifford Mollison and Peter Copley.

Producer Michael Carreras has a cameo as Man at First Funeral.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5082

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