Admirers of the sort of comedy produced by Terry-Thornas or Eric Sykes will find much please in this slapstick farce. It’s a classic British comedy with Thomas, Eric Sykes, Lionel Jeffries and Ronnie Barker. What’s not to love?
Private detective and commercial photographer J Barker-Rynde (Terry-Thomas) loves good food and money.
He is called to Green Glades – a country hotel (filmed on location at Aldenham House, Elstree in Hertfordshire) – to aid wealthy widow Margaret Clifford (Anna Russell), only to find that he must endure the hotel’s nature-cure diet, avoid alcohol, drink carrot juice and do exercises under physical training instructor Rumbelow (Eric Sykes).
When the widow is found poisoned, and her secretary is nearly murdered too, Rynde and Rumbelow join forces to win a reward the hotel manager, Dr Julian Crossley (Dennis Price), offers to whoever catches the killer before a clueless police inspector (Lionel Jeffries) and his assistant (Ronnie Barker) can do so.
Captain J. (Jeroboam) Barker-Rynde
Terry-Thomas
Rumbelow
Eric Sykes
Dr Julian Crossley
Dennis Price
Detective Inspector Hook
Lionel Jeffries
Frances Roitman
Moira Redmond
Rita
Katya Douglas
Nurse Arthur Richards
David Lodge
Detective Constable Burton
Ronnie Barker
Mrs Rachel Crossley
Hazel Terry
Roger Forrester
Derren Nesbitt
Higgins
Harry Locke
Johnson
Arthur Howard
Assistant Clerk
Tristram Jellinek
Green Glades Barman
Peter Butterworth
Lily
Patricia Hayes
Mrs Margaret Clifford
Anna Russell
Fred
Sidney Vivian
PC Lofthouse
Julian Orchard
Horatio
Mandy
Director
George Pollock