Change Your Image
ggeffers
Reviews
Early Edition: Mum's the Word (1998)
Jumped the shark this episode
OK so the whole series is based around a fantasy concept of seeing tomorrow's newspaper. But does this excuse the ludicrous nonsense the transpires at the end of the episode? To begin with it all seems quite reasonable, the curse being explained by some remnants of the plague, or smallpox. Then, what, did they just get bored or run out of money? A piece of badly-written nonsense, somehow has a 8/10 score, go figure.
The Early Bird (1965)
Don't be put off if you don't like this one.
Some of the reviews here are from people who, having been told this is Norman's best film, might not watch any others. I'd not exactly say I don't like this, but I'd place it near the bottom of the list. Perhaps only Press for Time is worse.
There's a certain style of comedy and pathos that's missing here, and strangely the colour does not help. The opening scenes are reminiscent of Morecambe and Wise, in their Breakfast sketch. Overall, there's a lack of sharpness to the comedy, so oddly the Norman Wisdom films from ten years earlier don't look so old fashioned as the ones made in the 1960's.
Trouble in Store, Stitch in Time, Bulldog Breed, at least give those a try if The Early Bird was not your cup of tea, because those three are more representative of Norman Wisdom's comedy - not just silly slapstick, but true heart.