A ship's captain is promoted by his company from tramp steamers to their flagship passenger liner. Although he is a thoroughly competent sailor ready to take charge of such a ship, he is ...
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Title: The Captain's Table (1959)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Gregson | ... | Captain Ebbs | |
| Peggy Cummins | ... | Mrs. Judd | |
| Donald Sinden | ... | Shawe-Wilson | |
| Nadia Gray | ... | Mrs. Porteous | |
| Maurice Denham | ... | Major Broster | |
| Richard Wattis | ... | Prittlewell | |
 |
Reginald Beckwith | ... | Burtweed |
|
|
Lionel Murton | ... | Bernie Floate |
| Bill Kerr | ... | Bill Coke | |
| Nicholas Phipps | ... | Reddish | |
| Joan Sims | ... | Maude Pritchett | |
| Miles Malleson | ... | Canon Swingler | |
| John Le Mesurier | ... | Sir Angus | |
| James Hayter | ... | Earnshaw | |
|
|
June Jago | ... | Gwenny Coke |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
A ship's captain is promoted by his company from tramp steamers to their flagship passenger liner. Although he is a thoroughly competent sailor ready to take charge of such a ship, he is less prepared for the social duties the new position involves, not least the way he becomes the target for all the comely unattached women on board. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
Plot Keywords:
ship captain | flirting | fish out of water | culture clash | cruise ship |Taglines:
A shipload of laughs See more »Genres:
ComedyCertificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
20 March 1959 (Ireland) See more »Also Known As:
Shenanigans See more »Filming Locations:
Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UKCompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Color (Eastman Color)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Richard Gordon's novel sold very well in America and was optioned by Paramount. John Michael Hayes wrote a first-draft screenplay, making the central character American, not British; the plan was that it become a vehicle for Spencer Tracy. However, the studio dropped the idea and the film rights were snapped up by the Rank Organization. The script went through a number of changes, and both Bryan Forbes and John Whiting claimed they were disappointed with the final movie. See more »Goofs
No cargo ship skipper would be put in command of a passenger ship with no previous experience. In a line with both passenger and cargo vessels it is highly unlikely that a Master would not have served on a passenger ship as a first officer or staff captain, even if he went to a cargo ship for his first command. See more »Crazy Credits
Opening credits prologue: This film was made with the enthusiastic co-operation of the Orient Line - who gravely disapproved of the whole thing. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Like many of its ilk Captain's Table looks like a very typical British 50s comedy and while good fun it's certainly no classic. It's very reminiscent of the Love Boat TV series with a cast of Britain's best it should shine - but it's all just for laughs. From a running jokes about Bridge players, to Donald Sinden's womaniser, it's all pretty much what you'd expect The women are the stronger characters here, and the plot is all about them trying to land the new captain. Fun but hardly original.
However, and it's a huge however, it is one of a handful of films that should be watched as being one of the better examples of the transition in British Cinema from social comedies to the more bawdy comedy of Carry On. You can actually see right up on screen the change coming and the difference between Genevieve, School For Scoundrels, Passport to Pimlico, and the Carry On films. The comedy is not Carry On saucy yet, but sex is a real theme throughout. No one foot on the floor cinema here. No coyness. There are bikinis everywhere and while not saucy it ain't coy either. Something happens in cinema around the Bikini Atoll, 1957, where the Big Bang suddenly does seem to liberate its own double entendre.
The whole of Captain's Table has characters that will become stock in the 1960s, a very camp batman, which Kenneth Williams will make his stock and trade, at the beginning of the film we have a seaman who could be Sid James, and throughout there are touches and ideas that Carry On will take and fly with.
If British Comedy from the 1950s is about class: either upper twits at play or working class succeeding despite authorities, then 1960s is about the triumph of the working man finding status and financial freedom. Captain's Table straddles both these with lots of upper-class twits (the Army Captain in particular) and a more blatant approach.
The film itself is lightweight fluff and fun because of it, but as a record of the changing point in British cinema it holds a place.