|
Doing Time
(1979)
|
| 0Share... |
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Doing Time (1979)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Photos
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Ronnie Barker | ... | ||
| Richard Beckinsale | ... | ||
| Fulton Mackay | ... | ||
 |
Brian Wilde | ... | |
| Peter Vaughan | ... | ||
| Julian Holloway | ... |
Bainbridge
|
|
|
|
Geoffrey Bayldon | ... |
Governor
|
|
|
Christopher Godwin | ... |
Beal
|
|
|
Barrie Rutter | ... |
Oakes
|
|
|
Daniel Peacock | ... |
Rudge
|
| Sam Kelly | ... | ||
|
|
Ken Jones | ... | |
|
|
Philip Locke | ... | |
| Gorden Kaye | ... |
Dines
(as Gordon Kaye)
|
|
|
|
Oliver Smith | ... |
McMillan
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the prisoners and an all-star celebrity team. Fletcher is unaware that the match is only a diversion so that an escape can take place. When Fletcher and his cell mate Lennie stumble on the escape, they are taken along, and find themselves having to break back into prison to avoid getting into trouble. Written by measham
Taglines:
Fletcher's inside story - even funnier as a film.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 August 1979 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Doing Time See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
See more »
(uncredited)
Written by Ian Dury and Chaz Jankel
Sung by Ian Dury and the Blockheads
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film was shot at HMP Chelmsford before it was returned to service after a fire. The film company admin offices were located in the prison hospital block. See more »Goofs
Godber declares that the model aircraft he's constructing is a Spitfire, but it's clearly a P51 Mustang. See more »Quotes
Fletcher: Do you see yon screw with his looks so vain, with his brand new key on his brand new chain, with a face like a ferret and a pea for a brain, with his hand on his whistle in the morning.See more »
Soundtracks
"HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK"(uncredited)
Written by Ian Dury and Chaz Jankel
Sung by Ian Dury and the Blockheads
See more »
If you're going to make a film of Porridge, this is it. The nature of film demands a "big" storyline, and what could be bigger than the plot of this?
Some people have said that the film doesn't quite have the same zest as the series. That is true - but then it goes to show how amazing the series was, because this is one heck of a good film.
It has also been said that the plot (which I won't give away for people who haven't seen it) is weak. Here I disagree. The only minus point I have about the plot is the fact that the subplot about new arrival Rudge disappears about 2/3 of the way in. As for the main plot, see above. It's the only story you could do when making a film of Porridge!
OK, so the pace of the film is a little slow - BUT you must remember that some people watching the film aren't familiar with the TV series, so they had to set the scene first.
They could easily have re-used hundreds of scenes and lines from the series, but to their credit, they didn't - both Fletch and Godber are nearing the end of their stretches, and they brought in a new "first-offender", the aforementioned Rudge - that way, Fletch is able to dish out a little bit of advice to him the way he did to Godber in the series - again, to ease in "first time" Porridge-viewers.
When you consider the number of TV sitcoms that were adapted for the big screen, and how much the quality varied, the good ones stand out all the more. And this is one of the best.