Not Only But Always (TV 2004)

Director:

Terry Johnson

Writer:

Terry Johnson

Stars:

Rhys Ifans, Aidan McArdle, Jodie Rimmer

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rhys Ifans	...	Peter Cook
Aidan McArdle	...	Dudley Moore
Jodie Rimmer	...	Wendy Snowden
Camilla Power	...	Judy Huxtable
Daphne Cheung	...	Lin Chong
Jonathan Aris	...	Jonathan Miller
Louise Wallace	...	Sparkly Top Woman
Alan Cox	...	Alan Bennett
Josephine Davison	...	Eleanor Bron
Richard Durden	...	Proctor
Robin Soans	...	Mr. Boylett
Charmaine Guest	...	Violin Girl
Brett O'Gorman	...	David Frost
Joanna Morrison	...	Dawn
Derek Payne	...	Audience Member

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

double act | comedian | based on true story

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 December 2004 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company Credits

Production Co:

Company Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The front sleeve design of the first Derek and Clive album, "Derek and Clive Live", was rendered in scribbled handwriting, not type-written as this film portrays it.

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Quotes

Peter Cook: I don't know why you bother. I don't know why you waste so much time on the piano. On your life history, what star sign she is, read her fucking palm. The secret of success with women, Dudley, is to tell them they're dirty, fucking cows, and stupid to boot, always does the trick.
Dudley Moore: That's a technique I've never actually tried.
Peter Cook: It'd save a lot of time.

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Connections

References Countdown (1982)

User Reviews

Finally something on screen from Ifans that I like

I only caught the last hour of this due to having to work late last night (boo hoo!), but both Rhys Ifans and Aidan McArdle were fantastic.

I remember Peter Cook from my youth and I thought it uncanny how Ifans reproduced the frustrated genius of the man. As for the production as a whole, it was a very insightful look into how Cook had difficulty coping with Moore's success away from him, and his own problems with matching his earlier career later on in life. (Personally I think he was extremely bright, but was handicapped by idleness.)

Now, I've seen a number of films that have featured Ifans. Perhaps I have been unlucky and only caught the bad ones, but this has to be the first I've seen him in that I've enjoyed. The films incidentally were: Love, Honour and Obey (where he was quite good as a bad-tempered gangster, but the film itself was pretty dire), Twin Town (awful), 51st State (a nightmare) and Notting Hill (sugary nonsense where Ifans was playing a sort of "Uncle Tom" slob of a Welshman to Hugh Grant's sophisticated Englishman - why does scriptwriter Richard "Blackadder" Curtis laugh at the Welsh so much?).

But until last night, the best thing I've seen Ifans in was on stage - in Accidental Death of an Anarchist (admittedly Dario Fo's play is one that an actor can have a lot of fun with) at the Donmar Warehouse a few years ago. Hopefully, he will be more discerning choosing his parts in future. If he does then I reckon he could be a future Guinness (but please don't get involved with Star Wars).