The Square Peg (1958)

A British road repairman gets into a feud with the Army, gets drafted and is mistakenly parachuted into Nazi occupied France where his physical resemblance to the local German commandant triggers a hilarious chain reaction.

Director:

John Paddy Carstairs

Writers:

Jack Davies (original screenplay), Henry Blyth (original screenplay)

Stars:

Norman Wisdom, Honor Blackman, Edward Chapman

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Norman Wisdom	...	Norman Pitkin / General Schreiber
Honor Blackman	...	Lesley Cartland
Edward Chapman	...	Mr. Grimsdale
Campbell Singer	...	Sergeant Loder
Hattie Jacques	...	Gretchen
Brian Worth	...	Henri Le Blanc
Terence Alexander	...	Captain Wharton
John Warwick	...	Colonel Layton
Arnold Bell	...	General Hunt
André Maranne	...	Jean-Claude (as Andre Maranne)
Victor Beaumont	...	Jogenkraut
Frank Williams	...	Captain Ford
Eddie Leslie	...	Medical Officer
Richard Marner	...	German Officer
John G. Heller	...	German Officer at Gatepost

Storyline

Norman and Mr Grimsdale are council workmen mending the road outside an Army base when they come into conflict with the military. Shortly afterwards, they get drafted and fall into the clutches of the Sergeant they have just bested. They are sent to France to repair roads in front of the Allied advance but get captured. Norman takes advantage of a useful similarity to impersonate General Schreiber and manages to return a hero.

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Plot Keywords:

1940s | year 1944 | imposter | drill sergeant | tunneling | 

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Taglines:

The news the enemy dreaded - Wisdom's joined the army.

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: All characters and events in this film are fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

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Goofs

At c.20 minutes Pitkin's spade suddenly reappears as he leaves the army base.

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Quotes

Norman Pitkin: Sorry, only I used to know a girl once, just like you. Well, I didn't exactly know her. I couldn't really, she being what she was and me being what I am.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: The Second World War saw many remarkable adventures on sea, on land and in the air. Strangest of all perhaps, was the story of Norman Pitkin, indomitable fighter, rugged individualist and faithful employee of the St. Godric's Borough Council.

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Connections

Referenced in Bostock's Cup (1999)

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Soundtracks

Das Lied der Deutschen
(uncredited)
aka "Deutschland über Alles"
Music by Joseph Haydn
Heard as a theme

User Reviews

Norman Wisdom's Best Film. Nuff said.

All Norman Wisdom Films tend to follow a simple formula. Loveable Norman has a simple life, usually overlooked by a father figure (Mr Grimsdale) who takes care of him. An antagonist enters the frame and usually angers Wisdom. Much revenge type comedy ensues. Throw in a little child or children who needs help and a unfeasibly attractive woman for Norman to fall in love with. So once this formula has been established it's very unusual to expect anything else. Not that The Square peg does a great deal different but it looses the child element and offers up instead, Wisdom in two roles. The first is his standard 'Pitkin' role and the second is the evil Nazi general. Sure he camps up the Nazi and plays it for all the laughs possible but this film is nothing more than comic brilliance. The scene between Wisdom in his two characters and Hattie Jaques as a Teutonic opera singer is staggeringly funny.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

19 December 1958 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

The Square Peg

Filming Locations:

Village Road, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Rank Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1