British comic Norman Wisdom pulls a Peter Sellers and plays several different parts in this hilarious escapade.
The story centres on Norman Shields (Wisdom), a newspaper seller outside Westminster tube station whose grandfather (a thinly disguised Wisdom) just happens to be Prime Minister.
To wheedle a government post out of the old man, a crafty MP (Derek Bond) engages the grandson as a reporter on his newspaper in the seaside town of Tinmouth, only to see him turn every assignment – however minor – into a major disaster.
After causing chaos at a local council meeting and causing the demolition of a new house, Norman tries to organise a beauty pageant. In the process, he manages to captivate the woman mayor’s myopic daughter (Frances White) and, even more unaccountably, the sorely tried mayor herself (Noel Dyson).
At the outset, he combines with grandfather and grandson the roles of the boy’s mother and sister. After that, he is mainly just himself, dropping or smashing everything he touches and needing only one drink to set up convulsions of choking and hiccoughing.
A slapstick tale of corruption in high and low places.
Norman Shields/Sir Wilfred Shields/Emily
Norman Wisdom Major Bartlett
Derek Bond Eleanor
Angela Browne Ruby Fairchild
Tracey Crisp Ballard
Allan Cuthbertson Mrs Corcoran
Noël Dyson Alderman Corcoran
Derek Francis Willoughby
Peter Jones Mr Ross
David Lodge Nottage
Stanley Unwin Liz
Frances White Marsh
Tony Selby Granny Fork
Hazel Coppin Mrs Doe Connor
Totti Truman Taylor P.M.’s secretary
Toni Gilpin Berman
George Roderick Isobel
Jenny White
Director
Robert Asher
Video
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