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albert_smith_uk
Reviews
The Pearl of Death (1944)
Cliched and silly but fantastic fun.
I first saw this film when I was little and the image of the busts of Napoleon and of The Creeper have stuck in my mind ever since. Now 20 years later I've seen it again and was incredibly surprised by how much I still enjoyed it. Rathbone hams it up with his ultra-quick, snappy delivery, Hoey (Lestrade) is hilariously thick, and you just want to give Nigel Bruce (Watson) a great big hug for being so lovely. The dialogue is cliched and predictable. Holmes purists may hate it, but who cares - this is great fun.
Carry on Spying (1964)
More Ealing than Carry On, more Harry Lime than Bond
Although not "Carry On" at it's best, this is a very entertaining addition to the series. Although touted as a Bond spoof this has much more in common with British spy movies of the 40's - "The Third Man" is often referenced. Only at the end do we get the Bond-esque action, and this is where it all goes wrong. The climatic sequence is not only very silly (even by Carry On standards) but also lazy. Barbara Windsor makes her series debut here and is a joy to watch. Williams does his "silly man" character from the Hancock shows rather than the usual "Snide" persona, and Bernard Cribbins is as loveable as always. If you want a James Bond spoof or a classic Carry On, don't come here. If you want a silly comedy in the Ealing Studios vein then this might well be your cup of tea.