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

Actress Sharon Maiden received an 'Introducing' credit. Her feature film debut was 3 years earlier, in Party Party (1983).

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Goofs

When Brian Stimpson and Laura stop the Porsche the driver states that the car was new and had only "12 miles on the clock" After Laura steals the Porsche we see a close up of the tachometer the clock clearly reads that the car has 754 miles "on the clock".

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Quotes

Brian Stimpson: We don't need a track. It's grass.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Color of Money/Sid and Nancy/Down by Law/Clockwise (1986)

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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

The Master at Work

I recall a review in the Washington Post when this film was in theater release. It said something like, "If you want to see the master at work, go see this film." I thought that was very fitting. If you like John Cleese's brand of comedy, it's on good display here.

In its way, the movie is a simple comedy of errors. Murphy's Law dogs Cleese everywhere he goes. Yet despite the great John Cleese reactions to the never-ending stream of challenges, his character never loses sight of his goals or his integrity. I think that juxtaposition is part of what makes the movie work. Despite all the humiliations and frustrations, the character never forgets that he's doing it all for the sake of his students and his school.