The American millionaire owner of TransGlobal Airlines, Paul Fisher (future Gilligan’s Island star Alan Hale Jr.) travels to England with his family to consider buying a new British-made supersonic passenger plane.
The deal is put at risk when his daughter, Kathy (Anne Helm) and the plane’s designer, Jack Hopkins (Michael Craig), crash into each other in a quiet English country lane. The two take an instant dislike to each other, each blaming the other for the accident.
A series of mishaps ensue – including Kathy damaging Jack’s vintage 18-ton traction engine The Iron Maiden, and his fireman, Fred (Sam Kydd), breaking a leg – which look set to prevent Jack from entering the annual National Traction Engine Championship at Woburn Abbey.
When all seems lost, the millionaire himself is won over by Jack’s plight and joins him in driving the engine, with the two soon becoming firm friends.
It’s a delightfully British comedy from Carry On director Gerald Thomas with music from Eric Rogers and superb shots of England in 1962. The English countryside in summer has never looked better.
The aircraft featured in the film is a Handley Page Victor, one of the RAF’s subsonic nuclear V-Bombers. The scenes with the Victor were filmed at Radlett Aerodrome in Hertfordshire.
Released in some markets as The Swingin’ Maiden.
Jack Hopkins
Michael Craig Kathy Fisher
Anne Helm Miriam Fisher
Jeff Donnell Paul Fisher
Alan Hale Jr. Admiral Sir Digby Trevelyan
Noel Purcell Sir Giles Thompson
Cecil Parker Lord Upshott
Roland Culver Nellie Carter
Joan Sims Humphrey Gore-Brown
John Standing Vicar
Brian Oulton Fred Carter
Sam Kydd Mrs Webb
Judith Furse Mrs Webb’s Teammate
Cyril Chamberlain Harry Markham
Richard Thorp Bill
Jim Dale Mr Ludge
George Woodbridge Sidney Webb
Ian Wilson Albert the village Constable
Brian Rawlinson Charlie
Douglas Ives Senior Rally Steward
Michael Nightingale Rally Commentator
Raymond Glendenning Concierge
Anton Rodgers Fred’s Son
Jonathan Kydd
Director
Gerald Thomas
Videos
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