The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn *** (1956, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Dick Emery) – Classic Movie Review 8555

Director Joseph Sterling’s 1956 surreal spoof comedy The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn is a precious memento of BBC radio’s The Goon Show, in which Peter Sellers does his deaf and senile character Henry Crun and Spike Milligan does his dim sidekick character Eccles.

In this amusing farcical short film, Sellers plays three parts, one of them Superintendent Quilt of Scotland Yard, who tries to retrieve the priceless Mukkinese Battle-Horn stolen from a London museum and unmasks a horn-smuggling villain. (Unfortunately, Sellers is also the effete Assistant Commissioner Sir Jervis Fruit and Milligan is the voice of Minnie Bannister.)

The film may be roughly made but it is always ready for laughs. Alas, there is no Harry Secombe or Michael Bentine, the radio show’s third and fourth stars. But there is a welcome Dick Emery instead (as Mr Nodule). It was filmed in the wonder of ‘Schizophrenoscope’ (aka the New Split-Screen).

The regular Goon Show co-writer Larry Stephens writes the original story and co-writes the screenplay with producers Harry Booth and Jon Penington.

By this time Harry Secombe had become too expensive for the film’s low budget of £4,500 and he was replaced by the cheaper Emery. Sellers was paid £900. Finance came from Archway Film Distributors (£1,500), Peter Weingreen (£1,500) and Joseph Sterling (£1,500), who wanted to direct.

Although it got no US release, it was shown widely as a supporting short in British cinemas, including eventually to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Producer Michael Deeley says it was his first and most profitable film, returning its cost ten times. It was a TV regular for a while, released on home video VHS, and screened by the BFI in a print donated by Deeley.

Also in the cast are Pamela Thomas, Wally Thomas, Gordon Phillott and Bill Hepper (Announcer).

The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn is directed by Joseph Sterling, runs 30 minutes, is made by Cinead-Marlborough Pictures, is distributed by Archway Film Distributors (1956) (UK) and Kingsley-Union Films (1956) (US), is written by Larry Stephens (screenplay and original story), Jon Penington (screenplay), Harry Booth (screenplay), Spike Milligan (additional material) and Peter Sellers (additional material), is shot in black and white by Gerald Gibbs and Brian Rhodes (cameraman), is produced by Jon Penington, Harry Booth and Michael Deeley, is scored by Edwin T Astley and is designed by C Wilfred Arnold.

It was made at Merton Park Studios, Merton, London, in November 1955, and released in January 1956. It parodies the Edgar Lustgarten thrillers being made at Merton Park at the time.

It was digitally remastered in 2009.

It follows Down Among the Z Men (1952), which features all four Goons.

Oscar-winning Michael Deeley has produced more than 20 movies, including The Italian Job, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Deer Hunter and Blade Runner.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8555

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