Adventures of a Private Eye (1977)

While a private detective is away on vacation, his not particularly bright assistant takes it upon himself to "solve" a case that comes in. Complications ensue.

Director:

Stanley A. Long (as Stanley Long)

Writer:

Michael Armstrong (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Neil, Suzy Kendall, Harry H. Corbett

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Neil	...	Bob West
Suzy Kendall	...	Laura
Harry H. Corbett	...	Sydney
Diana Dors	...	Mrs. Horne
Fred Emney	...	Sir Basil
Liz Fraser	...	Violet
Irene Handl	...	Miss Friggin
Ian Lavender	...	Derek
Julian Orchard	...	Police Cyclist
Jon Pertwee	...	Judd Blake
Adrienne Posta	...	Lisa Moroni
Anna Quayle	...	Medea
William Rushton	...	Wilfred
Robin Stewart	...	Scott
Veronica Doran	...	Maud

Storyline

While a private detective is away on vacation, his not particularly bright assistant takes it upon himself to "solve" a case that comes in. Complications ensue.

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Plot Keywords:

pubic hair | male frontal nudity | sex comedy | female frontal nudity | male pubic hair | 

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Taglines:

The clever dick who uncovers EVERYBODY!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Christopher Neil receives an "introducing" credit.

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Quotes

[Detective Judd Blake has just caught his assistant peeping at the keyhole.]
Judd Blake: Amateur. Peering through keyholes is for the amateur.
Bob: I wasn't, actually, Mr. Blake. I just thought I'd dropped something on the floor.
Judd Blake: Bugging, now that's the professional way.
Bob: Bugging.
Judd Blake: Yes, and like everything else, purely a matter of technique. Now you stick with me, and you'll soon learn to be a successful bugger.

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Alternate Versions

The 1987 Academy Home Entertainment VHS version runs 74 minutes.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

Just For Two
(uncredited)
Music by Peter Reno (i.e. Cliff Twemlow)

User Reviews

A cut above

Like its sequel, "Adventures of a Plumber's Mate", "Adventures of a Private Eye" is a cut above the average Brit sex comedy from the same era. There's more going on than just the standard "hapless lad has a job that involves meeting lots of frisky housewives with violent husbands", although there's that, too, of course. There's also a sub-film noir plot our inexperienced hero tries to solve, a gothic horror setting in a manor house with a macabre butler, and a séance.

More comedic set-ups - and the movie has more than you can count - means more jokes, which also means more likelihood that the jokes might land. Unbelievably, this time, a few actually do, and I found myself chuckling on occasion.

For future reference, this is the sex comedy where the other Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, plays a swinging private eye - though there's certainly nothing about him that would suggest being a babe magnet - who leaves his business in the hands of his young protégé, who ends up taking on one of his cases. He gets a new secretary, and expects a sexy, available "bird" like the one his boss had, but instead gets an odd, ageless woman with round spectacles.

There's also a scene where he ends up dressed as a woman - nothing too special about that - but then has to perform on stage with a burlesque dancer.

Both the actress who plays the dancer, and the one who plays the odd secretary, are superior to the material, especially the multi-talented dancer.

I say check it out.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1977 (UK)

Also Known As:

Adventures of a Private Eye

Filming Locations:

West Byfleet Station, Woking, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Salon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Gevacolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1