Stitch In Time, A / Just My Luck [1963]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Norman Wisdom reprises his famous Pitkin character for the third time in A Stitch in Time, and Edward Chapman is also back to provide Norman with the excuse to reprise his immortal catch-phrase "Mr Grimsdale!". Here he succeeds in causing chaos in a St John Ambulance unit, as well as donning drag to play a blonde nurse complete with suspender belt and silk stockings. Each Norman Wisdom movie usually sees him as the accidental Lord of Misrule in one institution or another, and this time it's the NHS: after being banned from his local hospital, Norman resorts to subterfuge to visit a little orphan girl. There's an autobiographical touch here, as Wisdom himself was raised in an orphanage and centred the plot of One Good Turn (1954) around such an establishment. --Gary S Dalkin

An important step in the career of Norman Wisdom, Just My Luck is principally notable for the introduction of actor Edward Chapman, whom many would come to know as series regular Mr Grimsdale. Here he's the stuffy foil to Norman's romantic plans regarding his jewel-making job, where he'll do anything to possess some of the wealth about him. The chance comes in the form of an accumulator bet at Goodwood races thanks to a slimy Leslie Phillips. Another star cameo of note was a second appearance by Margaret Rutherford (after Trouble in Store) as an eccentric animal owner. But the real advance with the Wisdom formula was that--after a reasonably serious plot line--Norman finally gets the girl. --Paul Tonks

Average customer rating:

Joyful Mediocrity

Norman Wisdom doing what he does best!

stitch in time

A Stitch In Time [1963]
Starring: Norman Wisdom , Edward Chapman , Jeanette Sterke , Jerry Desmonde , and Jill Melford
Director: Robert Asher
Manufacturer: Cinema Club
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Trouble In Store / One Good Turn [1953]

On The Beat / Man Of The Moment [1962]

ASIN: B00005Q57L
Release Date: 2001-11-12

Amazon.co.uk Review

Norman Wisdom returns as his famous "Pitkin" character, but also for the first time since his appearance in 1958's The Square Peg, Edward Chapman is also back to provide Norman with the excuse to reprise his immortal catch-phrase "Mr Grimsdale". Following on from the previous year's On the Beat, this is actually Wisdom's third adventure as Norman Pitkin, and he certainly has a thing about uniforms. In the previous pictures he was in the army then the police, while here he succeeds in causing chaos in a St. John's Ambulance unit, as well as donning drag to play a blonde nurse complete with suspender belt and silk stockings. Each Norman Wisdom movie usually sees him as the accidental Lord of Misrule in one institution or another, and this time its the NHS: after being banned from his local hospital, Norman resorts to subterfuge to visit a little orphan girl. There's an autobiographical touch here, as Wisdom himself was raised in an orphanage and centred the plot of One Good Turn (1954) around such an establishment. It's all good fun and clearly shows where such later British comedy as Michael Crawford's BBC TV series Some Mothers Do 'Av 'Em (1973-78) found its inspiration. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Joyful Mediocrity.......2007-04-04

Like most Norman Wisdom films, this one really makes you wonder how the "star" became a star. Upstaged & outranked by much of the supporting crew, Norman mugs, shouts, mugs, screams, mugs, waddles & weeps his way through yet another egotistical exercise in belittling the larger than life in favour of the smaller than life.

If the legendary British "everyman" of 1963 was really in need of such dire buttressing & pampering via cheap commercial entertainment, then Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin can be more than forgiven.

Having said that, it's an enjoyable film, in its own wretched way :)

Norman Wisdom doing what he does best!.......2002-01-07

One of Norman Wisdom's funniest films! A very good quality DVD reproduction. The race with the motorised hospital trolleys is hysterical and well worth buying the DVD for on its own. I am so glad that all my favourite old black and white films are being released on DVD, and can highly recommend this one, even if you are not a big Norman fan!

stitch in time.......2002-01-05

I think this is a great DVD, if you want to laugh all the way then get this! I laughed so much that my jaws were aching The start was so funny, in the butchers shop!I watched it twice and still laughed as much

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