The Bulldog Breed ** (1960, Norman Wisdom, Edward Chapman, Ian Hunter, David Lodge, Robert Urquhart, Eddie Byrne, Peter Jones, Liz Fraser, John le Mesurier) – Classic Movie Review 13,231

The Rank Organisation’s 1960 British black and white farcical comedy The Bulldog Breed stars Norman Wisdom as grocer’s assistant turned gallant British naval hero Norman Puckle.

Director Robert Asher’s 1960 British black and white farcical comedy The Bulldog Breed stars Norman Wisdom as grocer’s assistant turned gallant British naval hero Norman Puckle.

He is suicidally depressed after being spurned by a pneumatic stunner, but then enlists in the Navy, where he is specially trained to man the first British rocket and be the first man to land on the Moon. He takes a wrong turning at Uranus and ends up on a Pacific island.

This silly farce is one of stormin’ Norman’s better efforts thanks to director Asher’s lightweight touch and top-notch character playing, though the script lacks finesse, but it has some energy and invention. Among the up-and-coming support actors to relish spotting in small roles are Coronation Street’s Johnny Briggs (as Johnny Nolan) and William Roache (as Space Centre operator), Oliver Reed as a Teddy Boy, and Michael Caine as a bright-eyed sailor, a couple of years or so before Zulu (1964).

A couple of old-time actors enjoy good roles: Ian Hunter as the pompous Admiral Sir Bryanston Blyth and Edward Chapman as the puffed-up Mr Philpots, raising laughs from their easy stereotypes. And there’s a long list of other national treasures to enjoy, including Peter Jones, Liz Fraser, John le Mesurier, Terence Alexander, and Sydney Tafler.

Apparently, it is the only time Michael Caine and Oliver Reed ever shared a movie scene together, a few seconds in a cinema lobby. Sadly, Caine recalled that Wisdom ‘wasn’t very nice to support-part actors’.

The cast include Norman Wisdom, Edward Chapman, Ian Hunter, David Lodge, Robert Urquhart, Eddie Byrne, Peter Jones, Liz Fraser, John le Mesurier, Terence Alexander, Sydney Tafler, Johnny Briggs, Michael Caine, Oliver Reed, Brian Oulton, Leonard Sachs, Glyn Houston, Cyril Chamberlin, Penny Morrell, Claire Gordon, Julie Shearing, Frank Williams, and Sheila Hancock, plus Tracy Reed as secretary in Admiral’s office, Roland Curram as control room radio operator, and Peter Swanwick as rocket control room technician.

The Bulldog Breed is directed by Robert Asher, runs 98 minutes, is made by the Rank Organisation, is released by Rank Film Distributors, is written by Jack Davies, Henry Blyth and Norman Wisdom, is shot in black and white by Jack Asher, is produced by Hugh Stewart, and is scored by Phillip Green.

The film was made with Royal Navy co-operation. One scene shows a flotilla of Type 14 Blackwood-class frigates sailing out of Portland harbour, led by the F91 ship HMS Murray, launched in 1955 and broken up in 1970.

Wisdom congratulated Terence Alexander on always being able to keep a straight face while filming. Later Alexander admitted the reason was that he did not find Wisdom remotely funny.

We can celebrate and feel sorry for the poor British actors of the day, and what they had to go through. Also they got paid badly (according to Terence Alexander) and treated badly (according to Michael Caine). And a whole lot of them went uncredited (Michael Caine, Oliver Reed, William Roache, Sheila Hancock, Cyril Chamberlain) too, which must have been as bad for the career as it was the ego.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,231

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