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isn't there. Maybe the public will fall for this trite, lumbering stuff but one way and another the whole affair is a disaster. ... Dialog Is labored and cheap: situations are predictable. So the whole thing fizzles out. Rix does a workmanlike job in two very different roles and clearly bas a screen future as a light comedy actor even though the idiot type is now becoming slightly out-of-date. Cecil Parker is wasted as a fatuous, absent-minded highranking Air Force officer, and Leslie
Phillips, Liz Fraser John Welsh and William Hartnell are others who struggle in vain against their material."
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255:, is chosen for a top-secret mission to occupied France to investigate. Meanwhile, as a diversionary tactic to deceive the Germans, his exact look-alike, Aircraftsman Atwood, is reluctantly recruited to go to North Africa. However, through a farcical mixup, Blenkinsop finds himself in Africa and Atwood ends up in France.
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and, with everyone (including
Blenkinsop's girlfriend Lulu) believing he is Blenkinsop, he becomes a national hero, while the real Blenkinsop desperately tries to regain his identity and his life. Atwood continues the impersonation, but when he meets Lulu's mother, his future mother-in-law, he begins
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emerges as one of the unfunniest screen comedies in several years. Chapman's screenplay is contrived and strains desperately for laughs which not even a very competent cast can provide on account of lack of fuel. Daroy Conyer's direction is plodding and again depends largely on material that just
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wrote: "A Whitehall
Theatre-style farce that moves slowly and unfunnily to a weak, skimped climax. Its ancient jokes, commonplace shouted dialogue, predictable situations, stock caricatures and unimaginative direction give it the tired air of a routine that has gone on far too long. Perhaps its
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gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "This identity switch picture set during the Second World War tends to stretch its comic notions to breaking point. More disciplined comic timing would have provided an effective cure for the problem. However, farce king Brian Rix is a sensible choice for this
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The title comes from the
British expression "to drop a clanger", meaning to say something inappropriate or revealing. It links in the title to the secondary meaning of "clang", the noise of a metallic object hitting the floor.
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460:: Brian Rix has a field day in a dual role and there's even William Hartnell, giving his comic all as yet another barking NCO. Broad, unpolished, lowbrow fun."
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When mysterious, unpiloted, midget aircraft start landing in southern
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wartime foolishness and he switches convincingly from military rigour (in one guise) to gormlessness (in the other)"
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principal distinction among
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to have doubts. Accidentally meeting
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503:"BFI | Film & TV Database | The NIGHT WE DROPPED A CLANGER (1959)"
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By far more luck than judgement, Atwood returns to
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This article related to a
British comedy film of the 1950s is a
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A British secret agent is sent on a secret operation in
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505:. Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from
605:"The Night We Dropped a Clanger – Sky Movies HD"
565:(4): 18. 23 September 1959 – via ProQuest.
541:(300): 138. 1 January 1959 – via ProQuest.
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309:Toby Perkins as Flight Lieutenant Spendal
282:as Air Vice-Marshal Sir Bertram Bukpasser
327:Julian D'Albie as Air Marshal Carruthers
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229:but a diversionary tactic turns into a
742:Films shot at British National Studios
239:made his film debut in a minor role.
186:), is a 1959 black and white British
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16:1959 British film by Darcy Conyers
660:. You can help Knowledge (XXG) by
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762:English-language war comedy films
318:Charles Cameron as General Gimble
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607:. Skymovies.sky.com. 24 May 2002
553:"The Night We Dropped a Clanger"
529:"The Night We Dropped a Clanger"
478:"The Night We Dropped a Clanger"
767:1950s British comedy film stubs
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177:The Night We Dropped a Clanger
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381:Christine Russell as 3rd WAAF
747:1950s English-language films
428:The Night We Dropped Clanger
35:UK theatrical release poster
372:Merilyn Roberts as 1st WAAF
233:tale of mistaken identity.
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579:(18th ed.). London:
534:The Monthly Film Bulletin
414:The Monthly Film Bulletin
393:Rowland Bartrop as Smythe
294:as Squadron Leader Thomas
288:as Warrant Officer Bright
133:11 October 1959
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717:British war comedy films
306:as Squadron Leader Grant
581:Immediate Media Company
369:as Air Commodore Turner
180:(released in the US as
757:1950s war comedy films
396:Julie Mendez as dancer
583:. 2017. p. 661.
390:John Langham as Ricky
339:as Mrs. Billingsgate
210:. It was written by
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737:Films set in France
732:Films set in London
727:Films set in Libya
509:on 15 January 2009
408:Critical reception
183:Make Mine a Double
712:1959 comedy films
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149:Running time
126:Release date
110:Edwin Braden
102:Sidney Stone
65:David Henley
55:John Chapman
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487:24 December
437:Radio Times
385:Larry Noble
378:as 2nd WAAF
363:as Corporal
337:Irene Handl
322:Vera Pearce
225:during the
61:Produced by
41:Directed by
707:1959 films
701:Categories
464:References
447:Sky Movies
361:Ray Cooney
313:Liz Fraser
304:John Welsh
300:as Belling
260:buzz bombs
153:86 minutes
137:1959-10-11
69:Sydney Box
51:Written by
387:as farmer
345:as Briggs
274:Brian Rix
196:Brian Rix
99:Edited by
78:Brian RIx
453:Carry On
426:wrote: "
402:as Fritz
231:farcical
166:Language
107:Music by
75:Starring
611:5 March
558:Variety
513:5 March
423:Variety
315:as Lulu
169:English
158:Country
135: (
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351:as Ada
188:comedy
658:stub
636:IMDb
613:2014
585:ISBN
515:2014
489:2023
435:The
267:Cast
251:and
243:Plot
206:and
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253:bar
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