The Square Peg (1958)

Norman and Mr Grimsdale are council workmen mending the road outside an Army base when they come into conflict with the military. Shortly afterwards, they get drafted and fall into the ... See full summary »

Director:

John Paddy Carstairs

Writers:

Jack Davies (original screenplay), Henry Blyth (original screenplay),

Stars:

Norman Wisdom, Honor Blackman, Edward Chapman

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Norman Wisdom	...	Norman Pitkin / General Schreiber
Honor Blackman	...	Lesley Cartland
Edward Chapman	...	Mr. Grimsdale
Campbell Singer	...	Sergeant Loder
Hattie Jacques	...	Gretchen
Brian Worth	...	Henri Le Blanc
Terence Alexander	...	Captain Wharton
John Warwick	...	Colonel Layton
Arnold Bell	...	General Hunt
André Maranne	...	Jean-Claude (as Andre Maranne)
Victor Beaumont	...	Jogenkraut
Frank Williams	...	Captain Ford
Eddie Leslie	...	Medical officer

Storyline

Norman and Mr Grimsdale are council workmen mending the road outside an Army base when they come into conflict with the military. Shortly afterwards, they get drafted and fall into the clutches of the Sergeant they have just bested. They are sent to France to repair roads in front of the Allied advance but get captured. Norman takes advantage of a useful similarity to impersonate General Schreiber and manages to return a hero.

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Plot Keywords:

shape in title | three word title | actor shares first name with character

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 1959 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Djaddeh saf kon

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rank Organisation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Goofs

The dummy that Pitkin stabs and throws on the end of his bayonet moves before he stabs it.

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Connections

Featured in Norman Wisdom: His Story (2010)

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Soundtracks

"The Square Peg"
Written by Michael Carr and Philip Green

User Reviews

A tale of two Pitkin's

I've always liked Norman Wisdom's films - to a point - in every one there was something anarchic to laugh at but unfortunately something maudlin to squirm at too. This was the 6th of Wisdom's 12 "Norman" comedy films, and imho one of his best although I suspect every fan who has seen them all has their own favourites. However from experience there seem to be more perverse people who have seen every film and who hate the lot.

Norman Pitkin as St. Godric's Council employee is digging up the road outside an Army camp during the War, takes the Mick of the soldiers once too often and he and his boss Mr. Grimsdale find themselves conscripted. The slapstick war between Pitkin and Sergeant Campbell Singer continues into his training, until Pitkin and Grimsdale end up in France and the second part of the story begins. Favourite bits: Pitkin ferociously bayoneting the dummies; his bravado pre-parachuting; the General Schreiber double scenes with Hattie Brunnhilde Jacques; marching out of step with his captors. Apart from one mawkish bit in the French café with Honor Blackman there was no romantic musical interlude – although he had a fine singing voice it's still a definite plus! Cheaply made but well disguised, and with a great cast of British stalwarts also on display - missed Jerry Desmonde though!

It's a pleasant time-filler and maybe one of his more accessible films to a non-fan or non-kid which is perhaps one reason why it's probably shown on TV more often than his other black & white's.