TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Till Death Us Do Part [1969]
![Till Death Us Do Part [1969]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gtQyeEcTL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £12.99
Our Price: £4.61 (subject to change)
Surprisingly good film version of a sit-com that went on too long
Review date: 2008-08-02 Rating: 8 out of 10
Alf Garnet has to be one of the strongest British sit-com characters of all time. The fact that he was no more than a strong version of many real life Alf Garnets always gave him a bit more weight over some of the more cartoonish characters in sit-com land. So, not only was Alf responsible for making the TV show TDUDP one of the longest running sit-coms in history, but he sort of was rsponsible for it being so one dimensional and a bit claustraphobic feeling because of Alf's tiny world.
But boy, is Alf a character that lingers in the memory! I put this film on and I was pretty staggered at how fresh his character still was, or timeless looking. It has to be, I thought, because characters like that still do exist, and probably always will. Maybe there aren't as many as blatant as Alf around now, but it brings back memories of men who have an opinion and a prejudice about everything and like to express it, especially when they are drunk. Alf of course is a big softie under his gruff and self important exterior and this film again highlights the fact that we do not condone his worst prejudices but are laughing at his pomposity every time his bubble is pricked, which is often.
To create such a strong character you need great writing and great acting. Both Speight and Mitchell understood this character perfectly, and knew every little flaw he had and every circumstance that would create his looking like a plonker and give us our laughs. This character, like all the best sit-com 'monsters' offers others plenty of opportunities for putting him down and giving us our larfs. This film is full of them, and I think it is a great way to either relive this classic British sit-com or to introduce it to you, if you never got to see it.
As stated above, this is a cleverly written filmic overview of the life of Alf and his poor family, taking in many of the biggest events in British life from the 30s to the late 60s, and runs like a sort of British patriot-cum-bigot's journal of the times. It has its liitle patches of dullness or slight weaknesses, but because of its inventiveness in narrative and of course its effervescent die hard character Alf, this movie is as far as I'm concerned, the best of all British sit-com spin off movies, and the bloke above is right, it's funnier and better than the long running sit-com was. This is a quiet little gem of a film. Good strong directing and some classic Alf moments make this film well worth a look indeed. Actually, I already feel guilty at not giving it the full 5 stars as it is a very strong film, but I sort of published too early before I had a chance to edit. It is 4.5 stars at least.
Similar Products
- In Sickness And In Health - Series 1 [1985]
- Till Death Us Do Part [1972] [1965]
- Till Death Do Us Part - 1974 Series [1965]
- In Sickness And In Health - Series 2 [1986]
- In Sickness And In Health - The Christmas Specials [1985]
Reviews
Superb
Review date: 2007-12-15 Rating: 10 out of 10
Not only is this one of the best 'spin-off' films ever made from a British sitcom, it spans approximately thirty years and offers a marvellous social document of British life then and now ('now', of course, being the time the film was made), in a way that I don't think any other light entertainment programme has ever done.
From the depressed 30s and wartorn 40s to the swinging 60s when the likes of Alf and his values (be fair, some of his values were good) were left behind with the times, as well as commenting on the dreadful compulsory purchase orders which split up lifelong communities and changed the face of Britain. The foresight in writing about this aspect of the 60s and the effect it would have on the future of Britain, while it was happening, is remarkable.
Remember this is written and performed by people who lived in these times, not a sickly 'Goodnight Sweetheart' type period piece. Johnny Speight was able to branch out here and attached the grittiness of his comedy to an earlier period when people were strong together through terrible times and Alf's character really opens up here as he faces (and sometimes avoids!) these issues direct rather than just ranting from an armchair or pub seat. It's also marvellous to see what Alf and Else's relationship was like in their early days, and how parenthood affected them.
The performances are absolutely magic, especially from Warren Mitchell and the superb Dandy Nichols, underplaying Else beautifully as usual.
This film is perhaps even better than the original TV version. The gags come fast and are all very funny. Even the 1966 World Cup gets a look-in, and one of my favourite gags of all time comes in this section. Just wait for Alf's excuse for rolling home drunk in the early hours after the Cup Final... Classic!
This film is very possibly the best British comedy film ever made, and in social terms it offers a document about British life in certain periods that is as important as Gracie Fields' film 'Sing As We Go'.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Anthony Booth
Bill Maynard
Warren Mitchell
Dandy Nichols
Una Stubbs
Creators:
Warren Mitchell (Primary Contributor)
Dandy Nichols (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Optimum Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Optimum Home Entertainment
EAN: 5060034577041
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-10-30
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1969
Language: English (Original Language)