What’s Good for the Goose * (1969, Norman Wisdom, Sally Geeson, Sarah Atkinson) – Classic Movie Review 11,021

‘Yesterday’s lover makes today’s scene…’

Director Menahem Golan’s 1969 British comedy What’s Good for the Goose is co-written by him, based on his story, and stars Norman Wisdom and Sally Geeson. It is made by Tigon British Film Productions.

Unfortunately, What’s Good for the Goose is certainly not good for a gander. Wisdom’s last starring showcase is a boring sex farce about a middle-aged assistant bank manager, Timothy Bartlett (Wisdom), falling for a nubile young girl hitchhiker, Nikki (Geeson), and trying to recover his youth when he picks up two free-minded young women on his way to a banker’s convention .

Wisdom’s attempt to change his image from gormless and sentimental to sexy in the swinging sixties is brave but totally misguided, and Cannon studio boss Golan directs as uncertainly as he co-writes.

The 60s sexpot Geeson is pleasing, and happily old faithfuls Terence Alexander, Derek Francis, Paul Whitsun-Jones and David Lodge are also involved, and The Pretty Things pop group appears, performing Eagle’s Sun, Blow Your Mind, Alexandra and Never Be Me.

But, after this, Wisdom was wise to turn to TV. He lived long and successfully though, and died at age 95 on 4 October 2010. In 1954 he won a BAFTA Film Award as Most Promising Newcomer to Film for Trouble in Store (1953). In 1997 he won a Special Achievement Award for services to comedy at the London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Geeson wears a bra in the hotel bedroom scene In the UK version of the film, but she is topless in the German version.

The theme song What’s Good for the Goose (music and lyrics by Reg Tilsley, Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard) is sung by Norman Wisdom.

Also in the cast are Sally Bazely, Sarah Atkinson, Karl Lanchbury, H H Goldsmith, Jonathon Cox, Stuart Nichol, Hilary Pritchard, Thelma Falls-Hand, and George Meaton.

Writers: Norman Wisdom, Menahem Golan and Christopher Gilmore.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,021

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