Man About the House is a 1974 British comedy film directed by John Robins and starring Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett,Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy.[2] It is a spin-off of the TV sitcom of the same name, starring the same main cast.
| Man About the House | |
|---|---|
UK theatrical poster
| |
| Directed by | John Robins |
| Written by | Johnnie Mortimer Brian Cooke |
| Based on | |
| Produced by | Roy Skeggs |
| Starring | Richard O'Sullivan Paula Wilcox Sally Thomsett Yootha Joyce Brian Murphy |
| Cinematography | James Allen |
| Edited by | Archie Ludski |
| Music by | Christopher Gunning |
Production | |
| Distributed by | EMI Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £90,000 (London area)[1] |
The Ropers learn that Mr. Pluthero, an estate agent and developer, wants to buy their building. The room-mates circulate a petition to stop the development, which attracts the interest of MP Sir Edmund, who keeps a mistress in another house in the same street.
The film started shooting in March 1974 at Elstree Studios in London, finishing on 12 April.[3]
It was the last in a series of big screen adaptations of popular television comedies made by Hammer Films,[1] although a film of George & Mildred (featuring Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy in the title roles) was made in 1980 by another studio.
The film was a hit, taking £90,000 in London alone.[1]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "In Man About the House, the battle between the property developers and the environmentalists is merely a backdrop to the serious business of a sex comedy. ... But It is a comedy of words, not actions – the only breast exposed is a manly one – and the script manages to produce some good laughs and a few sniggers. In this, it is well served by an experienced supporting cast. ... Yootha Joyce, as the frustrated Mrs. Roper, is particularly strong; even the more explicit sexual jokes leave her lips with a venom which seems born of real despair. As the tenants, Paula Wilcox and Richard O'Sullivan exude a lively warmth, while the vacuous Sally Thomsett looks on. The film succeeds within the limits which it sets itself, though there are some directorial miscalculations ... But in the main, the film acquits itself better than most movie spin-offs from TV series."[4]
David Parkinson writing in the Radio Times: "Great cast, shame about the script ... The material is thinner than a bedsit wall."[5]
