The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer ** (1970, Peter Cook, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Ronnie Corbett, Arthur Lowe, Denholm Elliott, Ronald Fraser, Vanessa Howard) – Classic Movie Review 9754

Director Kevin Billington’s 1970 The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer stars Peter Cook, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Ronnie Corbett, Arthur Lowe, Denholm Elliott, Ronald Fraser and Vanessa Howard.

A galaxy of funny British comedians and actors (plus Harold Pinter), and a script by three of them (Peter Cook, John Cleese and Graham Chapman, plus the director Kevin Billington) cannot turn this satire of the 1970 British political scene into a winner.

Cook plays a young ad man and business efficiency expert called Michael Rimmer, ready to kill in his irresistible rise to become prime minister, finally ending up in the newly created position of President of England, submitting every issue to the populace for referendum.

Alas, it is more on the silly and desperately contrived side than actually being funny, never mind hilarious, and it is often misfiring on most cylinders. But there are some funny sketches and lots of amusing performances from the era’s comedy icons.

Also in the every-one-a-winner cast are George A Cooper, Harold Pinter, James Cossins, Roland Culver, Dudley Foster, Julian Glover, Dennis Price, Graham Crowden, Richard Pearson, Michael Barrington, Ann Beach, Jonathan Cecil, Diana Coupland, Percy Edwards, Nicholas Phipps, Frank Thornton, Michael Bates, Norman Bird, Valerie Leon, Elspeth March, Norman Rossington and Michael Trubshawe.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9754

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