Up to His Neck
| Up to His Neck | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Original British quad poster | |
| Directed by | John Paddy Carstairs |
| Written by |
|
| Story by | Peter Rogers |
| Produced by | Hugh Stewart |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Alfred Roome |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release date | 1 August 1954 |
Running time | 91 minutes[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Up to His Neck is a 1954 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, starring Ronald Shiner, Hattie Jacques and Anthony Newley.[2][3][4]
Plot[edit]
Sailor Jack Carter has been marooned for ten years on a South Seas island, and treated as a King by natives. He is eventually rescued by the Royal Navy, who then use him to train up commandos to recover a stolen submarine, and to foil an oriental criminal plot.
Cast[edit]
- Ronald Shiner as Jack Carter
- Brian Rix as Wiggy
- Laya Raki as Lao Win Tan
- Harry Fowler as Smudge
- Colin Gordon as Lieutenant Commander Sterning
- Michael Brennan as Chief Petty Officer Brazier
- Bryan Forbes as Subby
- Alec Mango as Bandit General
- Anthony Newley as Tommy
- Gerald Campion as Skinny
- Roland Curram as Jock
- Norman Mitchell as Fungus
- Hattie Jacques as Rakiki
- John Warwick as Lieutenant Truman
- Martin Boddey as Chang
- Philip Stainton as Mr Woo
- Andreas Malandrinos as Chieftain
- Charles Cameron as Commander in Chief
- Cyril Chamberlain as Walter
- John Warren as Collins
- Charles Houston as Davidson
- John Horsley as Navigating Officer
- Harold Kasket as croupier
- Shirley Burniston as Olga, nightclub hostess
- Sara Leighton as Fanny, nightclub hostess
- Jacqueline Chan as Sung-Yo, nightclub hostess
- Hermione Harvey as sword dancer
- John Singer as R/T Rating
Production[edit]
Hugh Stewart got the job of producing when director John Paddy Carstairs refused to work with original producer Paul Soskin so Earl St John of Rank assigned the job to Stewart.[5]
Stewart said "the thing did very well. And because I was able to do some comedy, but also cut loose a bit in terms of daft ideas I then." It led to him producing the films of Norman Wisom.[5]
The film was shot at Pinewood Studios near London with sets designed by the art director Alex Vetchinsky.
Reception[edit]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This farce, reminiscent of the pre-war George Formby comedies, seems to have learnt nothing during the intervening years. Most of the jokes fall flat, the pace is forced and there are lapses into dubious taste. Ronald Shiner shouts his way through it all with high spirits and works hard with a script almost devoid of funny lines. Laya Raki, well equipped as the seductive spy, has little to do."[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Up to His Neck information on British Board of Film Classification
- ^ "Up to His Neck". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ^ Up to His Neck on IMDb
- ^ Up to His Neck (1954) Film details
- ^ a b "Hugh Stewart". British Entertainment History Project. 22 November 1989.
- ^ "Up to His Neck". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 21 (240): 137. 1 January 1954 – via ProQuest.
External links[edit]
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- 1954 films
- 1954 comedy films
- British comedy films
- Military humor in film
- Films directed by John Paddy Carstairs
- Films with screenplays by John Paddy Carstairs
- Films scored by Benjamin Frankel
- Films with screenplays by Ted Willis, Baron Willis
- Films with screenplays by Patrick Kirwan
- Films set in the Pacific Ocean
- British black-and-white films
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s British films
- 1950s British comedy film stubs