Penniless blue-blooded brothers Francis (Bob Monkhouse) and Douglas (Alfred Marks) Oberon live in genteel poverty in Oberon Manor – a sprawling cliff-side manor house in Lambering – with their manservant, Gilbert (Dennis Lotis).
They expect to inherit a fortune when their grandmother dies but discover her money has been left to a distant and unknown cousin in Corsica, a convent-reared maidservant called Antoinette “Toni” Oberon (Anna Karina).
Toni is now the benefactor of the entire estate and is arriving to view her new property.
Facing being homeless, broke, and actually having to work for a living, the boys devise a plot to either marry Toni and share the fortune or kill her off and claim the estate for themselves. They subsequently bungle half a dozen conspiracies, with the brothers always the victims of the slapstick and knockabout efforts.
Far too little is seen of Hattie Jacques, whose eccentric journalist Miss Richards provides the few real moments of fun.
The scenes of “Oberon Manor” were filmed at Knebworth House near Stevenage in Hertfordshire.
Released in the US as Maid For Murder.
Francis Oberon
Bob Monkhouse
Douglas Oberon
Alfred Marks
Miss Richards
Hattie Jacques
Toni
Anna Karina
Gilbert
Dennis Lotis
Arnold
Graham Stark
Chemist
Clive Dunn
Macdonald
Hugh Lloyd
Doctor
Peter Butterworth
Director
Robert Asher