Orders Are Orders (1954)

Movie company wants to shoot a science-fiction film using an Army barracks as location, and its soldiers as actors. Of course, the Commander doesn't like it a bit, and persuades the crew to use a nearby haunted house instead.

Director:

David Paltenghi

Writers:

Ian Hay (play), Anthony Armstrong (play)

Stars:

Brian Reece, Margot Grahame, Raymond Huntley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian Reece	...	Captain Harper
Margot Grahame	...	Wanda Sinclair
Raymond Huntley	...	Colonel Bellamy
Sidney James	...	Ed Waggermeyer
Tony Hancock	...	Lt. Cartroad
Peter Sellers	...	Private Goffin
June Thorburn	...	Veronica Bellamy
Peter Martyn	...	Lt. Broke
Maureen Swanson	...	Joanne Delamere
Clive Morton	...	Lt. General Sir Cuthbert Grahame Foxe
Bill Fraser	...	Private Slee
Edward Lexy	...	Capt. Ledger
Michael Trubshawe	...	A.D.C.
Maureen Pryor	...	Miss Marigold
Barry MacKay	...	R.S.M. Benson (as Barry McKay)

Storyline

Movie company wants to shoot a science-fiction film using an Army barracks as location, and its soldiers as actors. Of course, the Commander doesn't like it a bit, and persuades the crew to use a nearby haunted house instead.

---

Plot Keywords:

group 3 | remake | based on play | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1954 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Beaconsfield Studios, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Group 3

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of David Lodge, but his scenes were deleted from the final print.

---

Goofs

Whilst the production company loads their truck near the end, the shot is flipped, as evidenced by the letters and numbers on the license plate.

---

Connections

Remake of Orders Is Orders (1934)

User Reviews

More dated humour with the British army

ORDERS ARE ORDERS is another army-focused British comedy from the 1950s and another let down. CARRY ON SERGEANT is still the best that I've seen from this era while all others feel somewhat strained and clumsy, not to mention dated. This film has a good story but not many good jokes unless exaggerated character humour is your idea of a good time.

The story is about a film crew who arrive at an army barracks to shoot a science fiction movie and have various run-ins with the soldiers there. The wobbly special effects we see them filming with are funny and reminiscent of an Ed Wood movie. There's a lot of skirt-chasing and various encounters on and off the base between the characters. One of my main problems is that the film crew characters are exaggerated buffoons while the soldiers, in particular the officers, are all prim and proper and dull. The ensuing situations simply aren't all that funny in the face of it.

While the likes of Margot Grahame and Raymond Huntley bag the dull lead roles, it's the supporting players who are the most interesting. Tony Hancock bags an 'introducing' credit and is his typical world-weary character. Sid James is the brash film director but struggles with his unconvincing American accent throughout. Peter Sellers plays his usual part in this and the best I can say about him is that he's better than he was in DOWN AMONG THE Z MEN. There are nice cameos for young 'uns like Donald Pleasence and Eric Sykes. The best participant is the gorgeous Maureen Swanson whose eye-popping introduction scene is the highlight of the whole movie.