The Time of His Life ** (1955, Richard Hearne, Ellen Pollock) – Classic Movie Review 13,162

Richard Hearne stars in the 1955 British comedy film The Time of His Life as Mr Pastry, who is released from prison and goes to live with his social-climbing daughter (Ellen Pollock) pending her dumping him in Australia.

Director Leslie S Hiscott’s 1955 British comedy film The Time of His Life stars TV’s Mr Pastry, Richard Hearne, as a reluctant ex-con, Charles Pastry, billeted with his unpleasant social-climbing daughter Lady Florence (Ellen Pollock) pending her dumping the embarrassing old bloke off in Australia.

Lady Florence runs a society for the rehabilitation of ex-convicts, so she wants to hide her father’s ex-con status, pretends he is an old friend and locking his away in his bedroom, while plotting to have him sent to Australia. Yet Lady Florence’s kids like Mr Pastry, and they bond, but he causes a lot of mayhem, before going back to his happy prison haven, this time as the governor’s Man Friday.

Hearne makes this odd, patchy comedy work pretty well, at least for most of the time, though the Norman Wisdom-style moments of pathos are toe-curling, with Hearne playing the character as a pathetic figure instead of the bumbling comic of the TV series. Notable comedians in support include Richard Wattis as Edgar, Robert Moreton as Humphrey, and Peter Sinclair as Kane.

The cast are Richard Hearne as Charles Pastry, Ellen Pollock as Lady Florence, Richard Wattis as Edgar, Robert Moreton as Humphrey, Frederick Leister as Sir John, Peter Sinclair as Kane, John Downing as Simon, Anne Smith as Penelope, Darcy Conyers as Morgan, Yvonne Hearne as Guest, Peggy Ann Clifford as Cook, Arthur Hewlett as Prison Governor, Harry Towb as Steele, Andrew Trowbridge, Neil Wilson, Alan Whittaker, Edgar Driver, Jessica Cairns, Peggy Ann Clifford, Brenda Cameron, and Roger Avon.

The Time of His Life is directed by Leslie S Hiscott, runs 74 minutes, is made by Shaftesbury Films, is released by Renown Pictures Corporation, is written by Leslie S Hiscott and Richard Hearne, based on a story by Leslie S Hiscott & Brock Williams, is shot by Kenneth Talbot, is produced by Elizabeth Hiscott and W A Smith, and scored by Elizabeth Hiscott.

Release date: July 18, 1955 (UK).

Richard Lewis Hearne (30 January 1908 – 23 August 1979)

The Mr Pastry character originated in the 1936 stage show Big Boy, with Hearne and Fred Emney.

Hearne also plays Mr Pastry in the 1956 follow-up film Tons of Trouble.

He also stars in the 1943 The Butler’s Dilemma.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,162

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