3.4 /10 1 Votes
1/5 Radio Times Produced by Andrew Mitchell Music by Peter Greenwell Director Bob Kellett Music director Peter Greenwell | 4.7/10 IMDb Directed by Bob Kellett Written by Michael Pertwee Distributed by The Rank Organisation Screenplay Michael Pertwee Story by Michael Pertwee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring Brian Rix
Leslie Phillips
Joan Sims
Joanna Lumley
Derek Royle
Myra Frances
Katy Manning
Peter Bland
Anita Graham
Derek Griffiths
Barrie Gosney Initial release 1 April 1973 (United Kingdom) Cast Joanna Lumley, Brian Rix, Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims, Katy Manning Similar Leslie Phillips movies, Comedies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! is a 1973 British film based on the popular "Whitehall Farce" written by Michael Pertwee, who also wrote the screenplay.
Contents
Plot summary
Sir William Mainwaring-Brown, a British Government Minister, puts forward a bill to battle filth (permissive behaviour) in the UK. However, that doesn't stop him having an affair with both Miss Parkyn (his secretary) and Wendy (the wife of a high-up reporter). Opponents to the bill - mainly some hippies, led by Johnny - kidnap the Minister's best friend and co-sponsor of the bill, Barry Ovis, just as he is on the way to the church to marry his fiancee, Jean.
Later and following a tip off by Johnny, the police raid the hippies' flat. The intention is to discredit Barry Ovis by making it appear that he was involved in an orgy and therefore, remove any credibility that the Law and Order Bill might have had. Thankfully (for Barry), he escapes before the police discover him and dashes back to Sir William's flat followed by Edith, one of the hippies.
Meanwhile, the Minister is also trying to use the flat to carry on his affairs with both Wendy and Miss Parkyn. The Minister, Barry and Jean try to keep the truth from Inspector Ruff, Wilfred Potts (an ancient MP, who is staying temporarily in the adjoining flat) and Birdie (the Minister's wife). Not only that, but they have to try to deal with the hippies who do their utmost to discredit Mainwaring-Brown and Ovis. Naturally this causes no end of trouble.
Cast
Reception
Halliwell's Film Guide gave the film a negative review, saying it was a "stupefying from-the-stalls rendering of a successful stage farce; in this form it simply doesn't work". Radio Times was similarly scathing, stating the film "reduces the precise timing of the double entendres, the bedroom entrances and exits and the dropped-trouser misunderstandings to the level of clumsy contrivance, which not even the slickest of players can redeem".
Television
The film was spun off into a sit-com entitled Men of Affairs for ITV in 1973. Leslie Phillips was unavailable to reprise his role as William Mainwaring-Brown, so the part went to Warren Mitchell, who had found lasting fame as Alf Garnett.