701:
not just a caricature. Thus the string of comic incidents take on a whacky credibility that springs directly from the shrewdly observed manipulator in charge of them. Connery is almost equally believable. His slow, conscience-ridden and rather gormless Pascoe is the ideal foil for Pope's quick-wittedness. Only at the end does the film lose contact with his essential character when he miraculously demonstrates a wily bravery in besting the enemy. For the rest, director Cyril
Frankel handles the barrack-room humour with a firmness that, in the main, doesn't let its exhibitionist supporting cast ... over-dominate or its jokes overrun their limits."
710:, following its 1965 US release, Howard Thompson noted that the release was "an obvious cash-in" on Connery's popularity as James Bond, but found it, "a friendly little wartime comedy from England." He wrote that, "The wonder is that a picture with a story already done, gag by gag, a hundred times is so easy to take. It is, though — flip, friendly, brisk and a wee bit cynical in its take-it-or-leave-it jauntiness", and concluded that, "The film is familiar and trifling, but it's perky."
37:
655:
380:. Very quickly, he makes friends with the easy going, but loyal, Pedlar Pascoe who happily goes along with all of his scams, which mainly involve taking money for leave passes and for organising postings close to home. The pair do their utmost to make a bit on the side and avoid being sent into action.
700:
wrote: "Basically, there's little to choose between this and any other briskly made
British service farce. But the differences that distinguish it are important – namely, Alfred Lynch and, to a lesser degree, Sean Connery. As the cockney spiv, Pope, Lynch takes the trouble to create a real character
390:
They unexpectedly become heroes, after killing a group of German soldiers who had them pinned down in a forest. They are decorated by the
American forces to whom they have been attached, and their commanding officer, who has a sneaking admiration for their schemes, tears up their record of crimes.
726:
when he took the role of a dim witted gypsy in this hit-and-miss comedy. He plays second fiddle to Alfred Lynch, who stars as a conman inducted into the army. Known in the States as
674:. The titles, as well as the advertising campaign, downplayed the comedic aspects of the film as well as Connery's original second-billing. During a 1961 trip to England
678:
made a brief appearance in the film and forgot about it until the
American release gave him second billing. He and Connery would work together again on
1231:
1236:
984:
1226:
1211:
1201:
1037:
949:
1107:
1221:
1216:
1087:
1077:
865:
908:
373:
only while waiting to enlist in the war effort. On hearing this plea, the magistrate calls his bluff and forces him to sign up.
1241:
1097:
671:
20:
890:
593:
1067:
1246:
1206:
515:
837:
736:
theme. Sadly, it feels more like one of those wartime morale boosters featuring a couple of fading music-hall comics."
977:
742:
said: "Curious mixture of farce and action, more on
American lines than British, but quite entertainingly presented."
1196:
819:
720:
gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Sean
Connery was only a year away from becoming an international superstar in
696:
1047:
369:
Horace Pope is taken to court for street peddling. In mitigation, he tells the magistrate he is working in the
758:
1137:
857:
343:
It was Sean
Connery's tenth film and his first lead role, released the year before his big breakthrough as
970:
914:
1167:
1057:
387:, where they continue their scams, selling food and supplies to the grateful newly-liberated French.
1191:
814:
521:
455:
383:
Their record eventually catches up with them, but by that time they have been sent on a mission to
131:
36:
1157:
1017:
706:
680:
639:
437:
311:
116:
19:"Operation Snafu" redirects here. For the 1970 film starring Jason Robards and Peter Falk, see
1147:
925:
886:
861:
587:
569:
443:
315:
203:
126:
1027:
739:
551:
503:
485:
419:
362:
333:
328:
323:
299:
121:
78:
72:
654:
936:
599:
467:
449:
384:
141:
732:
635:
631:
581:
545:
473:
319:
179:
1185:
1127:
1007:
994:
954:
722:
617:
461:
349:
283:
169:
159:
88:
53:
785:
658:
US poster, emphasising Sean
Connery and unknown woman, who does not feature in film
575:
533:
413:
407:
401:
370:
295:
291:
287:
111:
106:
101:
962:
930:
715:
539:
509:
491:
479:
431:
303:
279:
136:
42:
527:
344:
307:
675:
608:
425:
146:
662:
The film was not released in the United States until 21 May 1965, retitled
630:
The fighting scenes in the woods were shot in and around "The
Sandpit" on
919:
643:
941:
653:
840:
Screen: 'Operation Snafu': Comedy and New Stage Show at
Paramount
366:
326:. The screenplay was by Harold Buchman, based on the 1961 novel
966:
377:
337:
730:, this was presumably meant to be a minor variation on the
251:
243:
233:
209:
199:
185:
175:
165:
155:
94:
84:
67:
59:
49:
29:
942:
827:(324): 157. 1 January 1961 – via ProQuest.
885:(7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 754.
978:
8:
781:
779:
985:
971:
963:
35:
26:
763:British Film Institute Collections Search
750:
7:
950:British Board of Film Classification
788:On the Fiddle (1961) - Release Info
204:Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors
16:1961 British film by Cyril Frankel
14:
1078:Never Take Sweets from a Stranger
1232:Films directed by Cyril Frankel
804:Simon and Schuster, 4 Sep. 1997
672:American International Pictures
1237:Films scored by Malcolm Arnold
638:. Interiors were completed at
614:Gary Cockrell as U.S. Snowdrop
1:
1227:Films based on British novels
1212:British black-and-white films
838:New York Times, 22 May 1965:
1202:1960s English-language films
557:Richard Hart as P.O. Trumper
530:as Flight Lieutenant Baldwin
428:as Technical Sergeant Buzzer
21:Rosolino Paternò, soldato...
1263:
1222:British World War II films
881:Halliwell, Leslie (1989).
854:Radio Times Guide to Films
18:
1001:
856:(18th ed.). London:
820:The Monthly Film Bulletin
800:pp. 138-169 Chase, Chris
697:The Monthly Film Bulletin
566:Monty Landis as conductor
497:Peter Sinclair as Mr Pope
416:as Group Captain Bascombe
218:10 October 1961
34:
1217:British war comedy films
563:Stuart Saunders as Sarge
560:Ian Whittaker as Lancing
858:Immediate Media Company
1242:Military humor in film
1038:It's Great to Be Young
955:British Comedy Guide:
915:British Film Institute
883:Halliwell's Film Guide
704:Reviewing the film in
659:
1108:Don't Bother to Knock
1088:School for Scoundrels
860:. 2017. p. 682.
657:
843:Re-linked 2014-08-10
278:) is a 1961 British
194:Coronado Productions
1247:Films set in London
1207:1960s British films
1098:Grounds for Divorce
590:as Corporal Gittens
524:as ticket collector
518:as police constable
458:as Flora McNaughton
456:Eleanor Summerfield
132:Eleanor Summerfield
1158:Permission to Kill
1091:(1960, uncredited)
1058:She Didn't Say No!
1018:Devil on Horseback
993:Films directed by
707:The New York Times
681:The Anderson Tapes
668:Operation War Head
660:
640:Shepperton Studios
605:Toni Palmer as Ivy
596:as Corporal Reeves
500:Edna Morris as Lil
438:Wilfrid Hyde-White
336:who served in the
312:Wilfrid Hyde-White
275:Operation War Head
117:Wilfrid Hyde-White
1197:1961 comedy films
1179:
1178:
1168:Harry and Harriet
1148:The Trygon Factor
1068:Alive and Kicking
1048:No Time for Tears
791:Linked 2014-08-10
620:as German officer
578:as 1st Australian
570:Kenneth J. Warren
554:as Gwynneth Tovey
536:as Sergeant Ellis
444:Kathleen Harrison
347:in the 1962 film
340:in World War II.
316:Kathleen Harrison
259:
258:
127:Kathleen Harrison
1254:
1172:
1162:
1152:
1142:
1132:
1122:
1112:
1102:
1092:
1082:
1072:
1062:
1052:
1042:
1032:
1028:Make Me an Offer
1022:
1012:
987:
980:
973:
964:
946:
897:
896:
878:
872:
871:
850:
844:
835:
829:
828:
811:
805:
798:
792:
783:
774:
773:
771:
769:
755:
740:Leslie Halliwell
552:Priscilla Morgan
542:as WAAF corporal
504:Thomas Heathcote
486:John Le Mesurier
464:as WAAF sergeant
420:Stanley Holloway
410:as Pedlar Pascoe
363:Second World War
334:R.F. Delderfield
329:Stop at a Winner
324:John Le Mesurier
300:Stanley Holloway
225:
223:
122:Stanley Holloway
79:R.F. Delderfield
73:Stop at a Winner
43:quad size poster
39:
27:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1255:
1253:
1252:
1251:
1182:
1181:
1180:
1175:
1165:
1155:
1145:
1135:
1125:
1115:
1105:
1095:
1085:
1075:
1065:
1055:
1045:
1035:
1025:
1015:
1005:
997:
991:
937:Rotten Tomatoes
905:
900:
893:
880:
879:
875:
868:
852:
851:
847:
836:
832:
815:"On the Fiddle"
813:
812:
808:
799:
795:
784:
777:
767:
765:
759:"On the Fiddle"
757:
756:
752:
748:
728:Operation Snafu
693:
670:by distributor
664:Operation Snafu
652:
628:
623:
600:Barbara Windsor
476:as first airman
468:Terence Longdon
450:Beatrix Lehmann
446:as Mrs Cooksley
397:
385:occupied France
376:Pope joins the
359:
269:Operation Snafu
236:
229:
221:
219:
212:
195:
190:
188:
151:
142:Terence Longdon
76:
45:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1260:
1258:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1184:
1183:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1173:
1163:
1153:
1143:
1133:
1123:
1113:
1103:
1093:
1083:
1073:
1063:
1053:
1043:
1033:
1023:
1013:
1002:
999:
998:
992:
990:
989:
982:
975:
967:
961:
960:
952:
939:
928:
917:
904:
903:External links
901:
899:
898:
891:
873:
866:
845:
830:
806:
793:
775:
749:
747:
744:
718:Guide to Films
692:
689:
651:
648:
636:Woking, Surrey
632:Horsell Common
627:
624:
622:
621:
615:
612:
606:
603:
597:
594:Harold Goodwin
591:
585:
582:Patsy Rowlands
579:
573:
567:
564:
561:
558:
555:
549:
546:Jack Smethurst
543:
537:
531:
525:
519:
513:
507:
501:
498:
495:
489:
483:
477:
474:Victor Maddern
471:
465:
459:
453:
447:
441:
435:
429:
423:
417:
411:
405:
404:as Horace Pope
398:
396:
393:
358:
355:
320:Victor Maddern
257:
256:
253:
249:
248:
247:United Kingdom
245:
241:
240:
237:
234:
231:
230:
228:
227:
215:
213:
210:
207:
206:
201:
200:Distributed by
197:
196:
193:
191:
186:
183:
182:
180:Malcolm Arnold
177:
173:
172:
167:
163:
162:
157:
156:Cinematography
153:
152:
150:
149:
144:
139:
134:
129:
124:
119:
114:
109:
104:
98:
96:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
69:
65:
64:
63:Harold Buchman
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
40:
32:
31:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1259:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1170:
1169:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1154:
1150:
1149:
1144:
1140:
1139:
1134:
1130:
1129:
1128:The Very Edge
1124:
1120:
1119:
1118:On the Fiddle
1114:
1110:
1109:
1104:
1100:
1099:
1094:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1080:
1079:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1060:
1059:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1034:
1030:
1029:
1024:
1020:
1019:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1008:Man of Africa
1004:
1003:
1000:
996:
995:Cyril Frankel
988:
983:
981:
976:
974:
969:
968:
965:
959:
958:
957:On the Fiddle
953:
951:
947:
945:
944:On the Fiddle
940:
938:
934:
933:
932:On the Fiddle
929:
927:
923:
922:
921:On the Fiddle
918:
916:
912:
911:
910:On the Fiddle
907:
906:
902:
894:
888:
884:
877:
874:
869:
867:9780992936440
863:
859:
855:
849:
846:
842:
841:
834:
831:
826:
822:
821:
816:
810:
807:
803:
802:Name Dropping
797:
794:
790:
789:
782:
780:
776:
764:
760:
754:
751:
745:
743:
741:
737:
735:
734:
729:
725:
724:
719:
717:
711:
709:
708:
702:
699:
698:
690:
688:
687:
683:
682:
677:
673:
669:
665:
656:
649:
647:
645:
641:
637:
633:
625:
619:
618:Michael Sarne
616:
613:
610:
607:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
514:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
475:
472:
470:as air gunner
469:
466:
463:
462:Miriam Karlin
460:
457:
454:
452:as Lady Edith
451:
448:
445:
442:
440:as Trowbridge
439:
436:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
412:
409:
406:
403:
400:
399:
394:
392:
388:
386:
381:
379:
374:
372:
368:
364:
356:
354:
352:
351:
346:
341:
339:
335:
331:
330:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
286:and starring
285:
284:Cyril Frankel
281:
277:
276:
271:
270:
266:(U.S. titles
265:
264:
263:On the Fiddle
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
232:
217:
216:
214:
208:
205:
202:
198:
192:
184:
181:
178:
174:
171:
168:
164:
161:
160:Edward Scaife
158:
154:
148:
145:
143:
140:
138:
135:
133:
130:
128:
125:
123:
120:
118:
115:
113:
110:
108:
105:
103:
100:
99:
97:
93:
90:
89:Benjamin Fisz
87:
83:
80:
75:
74:
70:
66:
62:
60:Screenplay by
58:
55:
54:Cyril Frankel
52:
48:
44:
38:
33:
30:On the Fiddle
28:
25:
22:
1166:
1156:
1146:
1136:
1126:
1117:
1116:
1106:
1096:
1086:
1076:
1066:
1056:
1046:
1036:
1026:
1016:
1006:
956:
943:
931:
920:
909:
882:
876:
853:
848:
839:
833:
824:
818:
809:
801:
796:
787:
766:. Retrieved
762:
753:
738:
731:
727:
721:
713:
712:
705:
703:
695:
694:
685:
679:
667:
663:
661:
629:
576:Neil Hallett
548:as Dai Tovey
534:Graham Stark
516:Jack Lambert
414:Cecil Parker
408:Sean Connery
402:Alfred Lynch
389:
382:
375:
371:black market
360:
348:
342:
327:
296:Cecil Parker
292:Alfred Lynch
288:Sean Connery
282:directed by
274:
273:
268:
267:
262:
261:
260:
235:Running time
211:Release date
112:Cecil Parker
107:Alfred Lynch
102:Sean Connery
71:
41:Original UK
24:
1138:The Witches
716:Radio Times
540:Jean Aubrey
522:Cyril Smith
512:as corporal
510:Brian Weske
506:as sergeant
492:Viola Keats
482:as Huxtable
480:Harry Locke
432:Eric Barker
422:as Cooksley
361:During the
304:Eric Barker
280:comedy film
137:Eric Barker
85:Produced by
50:Directed by
1192:1961 films
1186:Categories
892:0586088946
746:References
666:and later
626:Production
528:Simon Lack
345:James Bond
308:Mike Sarne
239:86 minutes
222:1961-10-10
187:Production
170:Peter Hunt
768:5 January
691:Reception
676:Alan King
609:Ann Beach
588:Bill Owen
494:as Sister
434:as Doctor
426:Alan King
226: (UK)
166:Edited by
147:Alan King
650:Releases
602:as Mavis
572:as Dusty
488:as Hixon
252:Language
176:Music by
95:Starring
68:Based on
948:at the
913:at the
611:as Iris
584:as Evie
255:English
244:Country
220: (
189:company
1171:(1990)
1161:(1975)
1151:(1966)
1141:(1966)
1131:(1963)
1121:(1961)
1111:(1961)
1101:(1960)
1081:(1960)
1071:(1959)
1061:(1958)
1051:(1957)
1041:(1956)
1031:(1954)
1021:(1954)
1011:(1953)
889:
864:
786:IMDb:
684:(1971)
644:Surrey
733:Bilko
723:Dr No
634:near
350:Dr No
926:IMDb
887:ISBN
862:ISBN
770:2024
714:The
395:Cast
367:spiv
357:Plot
322:and
272:and
935:at
924:at
378:RAF
338:RAF
332:by
77:by
1188::
825:28
823:.
817:.
778:^
761:.
646:.
642:,
365:,
353:.
318:,
314:,
310:,
306:,
302:,
298:,
294:,
290:,
986:e
979:t
972:v
895:.
870:.
772:.
686:.
224:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
