A Stitch in Time (1963)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Robert Asher

Writers:

Henry Blyth (screenplay)
Jack Davies (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 February 1964 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An accident in the butchers shop leads Norman and Mr Grimsdale to the hospital where, after causing the normal ammount of chaos...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Norman Wisdom	...	Norman Pitkin
Edward Chapman	...	Mr. Grimsdale
Jeanette Sterke	...	Nurse Haskell (as Jeannette Sterke)
Jerry Desmonde	...	Sir Hector
Jill Melford	...	Lady Brinkley
Glyn Houston	...	Cpl. Welsh, St. John's Ambulance Brigade
Hazel Hughes	...	Matron
Patsy Rowlands	...	Amy
Peter Jones	...	Capt. Russell, St. John's Ambulance Brigade
Ernest Clark	...	Prof. Crankshaw
Lucy Appleby	...	Lindy
Vera Day	...	Betty
Frank Williams	...	Driver Nutall, St. John's Ambulance Brigade
Penny Morrell	...	Nurse Pudkin
Patrick Cargill	...	Dr. Meadows

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Rank Organisation, The

Quotes:

Mr Grimsdale: How long will the ambulance be?
Norman Pitkin: Oh, about 18 feet, Mr. Grimsdale.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bostock's Cup (1999) (TV)

Standard wisdom fare

Norman Pitkin works for Mr Grimsdale in a butcher shop. When a robbery goes wrong Mr Grimsdale is put into hospital to recover. While in the hospital he and Norman decide that they have been `called' to serve as doctors. While visiting Norman makes friends with a lonely young girl in the children's wing, even giving her Mr Grimsdale's gold watch to cheer her up. However a series of misunderstandings leads Sir Hector to ban Norman from the hospital. However he tries many tricks to get in to visit the girl.

Norman Wisdom films rarely surprise - you pretty much know what you're going to get and this is no different. Here his wide eyed innocent gets into a raft of comical misunderstandings around the hospital. His innocent act still works well and many of the set pieces are funny and well handled. The actual scenes with the little girl are too cute and sweet to be totally enjoyable but they do set up the usual `message' at the end - this one (as with so many others) allows Norman's working class fool to challenge the selfishness of the upper classes.

Wisdom is good, he still manages to carry off the likeable innocent. Wisdom regulars Jerry Desmonde and Edward Chapman are both good and as usual the rest of the cast is filled out by reasonable attractive girls eager to fall for Norman's charms.

Overall fans of Wisdom will not be disappointed and people who enjoy physical comedy with no nasty or cynical edges will find much gentle charm to enjoy here.