Clockwise (1986)

An obsessively punctual comprehensive school headmaster sets out to give an important speech at the annual Headmasters' Conference.

Director:

Christopher Morahan

Writer:

Michael Frayn (original screenplay)

Stars:

John Cleese, Penny Leatherbarrow, Howard Lloyd-Lewis

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cleese	...	Brian Stimpson
Penny Leatherbarrow	...	Woman Teacher
Howard Lloyd-Lewis	...	Ted
Jonathan Bowater	...	Clint
Stephen Moore	...	Mr. Jolly
Alison Steadman	...	Gwenda Stimpson
Mark Bunting	...	Studious Boy
Robert Wilkinson	...	Streaker
John Bardon	...	Ticket Collector
Mark Burdis	...	Glen Scully
Nadia Sawalha	...	Mandy Kostakis (as Nadia Carina)
Dickie Arnold	...	Man at Station
Angus MacKay	...	First Class Passenger (as Angus Mackay)
Peter Needham	...	Porter
Peter Lorenzelli	...	Taxi Driver

Storyline

Brian Stimpson is the headmaster of a comprehensive (high) school in England. He sets himself, his staff and pupils very high standards. On the way to a conference at which he is to talk, all manner of disasters strike.

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Plot Keywords:

headmaster | train | school | road movie | clock | 

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Taglines:

If you've ever been late... you'll know what this film is all about!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clockwise - Recht so, Mr. Stimpson

Filming Locations:

Cottingham Road, Kingston-upon-Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,476,356

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, Moment Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Screenwriter Michael Frayn based the character of Brian Stimpson on Peter Dawson, the headmaster of his daughter's school, Eltham Green Comprehensive.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 23 mins) By the end of the movie when Stimpson is delivering his speech and the left arm coat sleeve falls down we can see clearly that is John Cleese himself that pulls something with his right hand making the sleeve fall.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Mrs. Way: Isn't that lovely!

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Connections

Referenced in What the Pythons Did Next... (2007)

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Soundtracks

This Is My Lovely Day
by A.P. Herbert (as Herbert) & Vivian Ellis (as Ellis)
Sung by Ann Way (uncredited)
Chappell Music Ltd

User Reviews

Minor Classic

The most surprising things about this minor classic from the mid 80's are that it was director Christopher Morahan's first film since 1969, and Cleese's character is based on a real-life headmaster! John Cleese based the character on the head of his daughter's school, and I can tell you the real life head is just as delightfully nutty as Stimpson.

Time obsessed Mr Stimpton, head of an ordinary British state school finds himself chairman of the Headmasters Conference and has to get to Norwich to address their meeting. Everything goes wrong on the way, despite Stimpson's meticulous planning, and due to his obsessive nature he gets more and more frayed at the edges as things go wrong.

There are some great observations on human nature in a film which moves quick enough to keep you laughing but not so quick that you miss anything.

Not perhaps Cleese's very best work, but a minor classic nevertheless. Generally under-rated as most have already said. Chris Morahan went onto continue his film directors career with the excellent thriller "Paper Tiger" in 1990, among others.