Our Miss Fred
Our Miss Fred is a 1972 British comedy film starring Danny La Rue, set during World War II.[1][2] The film was also known by its video release titles Beyond the Call of Duty (Canada) and Operation: Fred (US). In the 1960s, La Rue was one of the highest paid entertainers in Britain, but this represents his only starring role in a feature film.[3]
| Our Miss Fred | |
|---|---|
UK poster | |
| Directed by | Bob Kellett |
| Written by | Hugh Leonard Terence Feely |
| Story by | Ted Willis |
| Produced by | Josephine Douglas |
| Starring | Danny La Rue Alfred Marks Lance Percival |
| Cinematography | Dick Bush |
| Edited by | David Campling |
| Music by | Peter Greenwell |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Anglo-EMI |
Release date | 14 December 1972 |
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
English Shakespearean actor Fred Wimbush is called up to serve in the British army during World War II. His skills result in his being asked to entertain the troops in France- and is asked to perform in drag. However, the Germans capture his position. Unless he continues his disguise in women's clothes, Fred fears he will be shot as a spy. He has to fend off both French locals and German troops. The double entendres and bullets fly as he attempts his escape in the company of the pupils from an English girls' finishing school.[4][5]
On a country lane he encounters Miss Flodden and Miss Lockhart who run a nearby finishing school. They ask him to fix their car ("Agatha") and is introduced to their five pupils: four English and one American, who are hiding in a barn. They suggest that Fred loses his flamboyant dress and instead dresses as a teacher.
They have an escaped airman (Smallpiece) hidden in a shed. Fred reveals his true identity to him. Fred finds a Nazi uniform to disguise Smallpiece.
Fred drives around the French countryside with the girls encountering the Germans as he goes.
They head for an airfield and get in pretending to be a group of girls from the local brothel. Although they fail to catch a plane they attach "Agatha" to a blimp and float off to safety.
However, in the final scene Fred is entertaining a group of Germans, in drag, singing "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball".
Sample gag
'Given his experience as a (Shakespearean) actor, (Fred) ends up...working as an entertainer for the troops. And playing all the female parts. He's not entirely happy... "Look at me, dressed like a bird," he grumbles. "They used to come from miles away to see my Titus Andronicus."[6]
Cast
- Danny La Rue - Fred Wimbush
- Alfred Marks - General Brincker
- Lance Percival - Squadron Leader Smallpiece
- Lally Bowers - Miss Flodden
- Frances de la Tour - Miss Lockhart
- Walter Gotell - Schmidt
- Kristin Hatfield - Hilary
- Jenny Twigge - Judith
- Vanessa Furse - Prunella
- Seretta Wilson - Elvira
- Sophie Batchelor - Emma
- John Barrard - Patron
- Nancy Nevinson - Patron's Wife
- Cyril Shaps - Doctor
- Frank Thornton - British Colonel
- André Maranne - French Resistance Fighter
- Barrie Gosney - Bertie
- David Ellen - Bobby
- Toni Palmer - Vendeuse
- Jennifer Croxton - Jeanette
- Anthony Sagar - R.S.M.
- Noel Coleman - Senior RAF officer
- Peter Greenwell - M.C.
- Gertan Klauber - German Officer
Production
The film was constructed specifically as a vehicle for La Rue. Filming took place in June 1972.[7]
Reception
Box office
The film was a box office disappointment.[8]
Critical reception
In "The Spinning image", Graeme Clark called the film, "a goodnatured comedy which, while you can see why La Rue's prospects in cinema might have been limited, also proved he was no dead loss in front of the camera either."[9] In the Radio Times, David McGillivray wrote, "Danny La Rue, Britain's most popular female impersonator during the 1970's, seems terribly constricted in his one major film, an old-fashioned wartime comedy written by distinguished playwright Hugh Leonard."[10]
Psychotic Cinema wrote, "this is a fun movie with plenty of sexual innuendo jokes and a rousing rendition of the popular song Hitler Has Only Got One Ball."[11] Movies About Girls wrote of La Rue, "he actually comes across remarkably well on screen...It’s all terrifically entertaining... La Rue can’t hide the fact that he’s loving every minute of it. You wouldn’t want him to either, because each and every smirk and grin means you can’t help but enjoy yourself along with him."[3]
References
- ^ Review of film at Psychotic Cinema
- ^ Review of Film at the Spinning Image
- ^ a b Alistair Wallis (27 May 2011). "Our Miss Fred (1972)". Movies About Girls. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ . Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ "Our Miss Fred [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Danny La Rue, Alfred Marks, Lance Percival, Lally Bowers, Frances de la Tour, Bob Kellett: DVD & Blu-ray". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ Alistair Wallis (27 May 2011). "Our Miss Fred (1972)". Movies About Girls. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ Have Daughter, Will Travel: Have Daughter . . . By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 25 June 1972: D11.
- ^ Latest FFC film is a 'piece of junk' Our Film Critic. The Times of India 19 June 1977: 4.
- ^ "Our Miss Fred Review (1972)". Thespinningimage.co.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ "Our Miss Fred | Film review and movie reviews". Radio Times. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ "Psychotic Cinema: Our Miss Fred (1972)". Psychotic-cinema.blogspot.com.au. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
External links
- Our Miss Fred at IMDb
- Our Miss Fred at BFI