Nothing Barred

For the 1960 film sometimes known by this title, see Two-Way Stretch.

Nothing Barred
Original British quad poster
Directed byDarcy Conyers
Written byJohn Chapman
Produced byDarcy Conyers
Brian Rix
StarringBrian Rix
CinematographyS.D. Onions
Edited byBert Rule
Music byTommy Watt
Production
company
Rix-Conyers
Distributed byBritish Lion Film Corporation (UK)
Release date
  • October 1961 (1961-10) (UK)
Running time
81 minutes[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Nothing Barred is a 1961 British black and white comedy film directed by Darcy Conyers and starring Brian Rix, Leo Franklyn and Naunton Wayne.[2][3] It was written by John Chapman.

Plot

Penniless Lord Whitebait plans to save his dwindling fortunes by opening his stately home, Whitebait Manor near Egham, to the public. But public interest proves minimal, and with rapidly mounting debts and the spiralling costs of his daughter's upcoming wedding threatening to ruin him, Whitebait is forced to take desperate measures. He and his servant Spankforth plot to stage the theft of a valuable painting from Whitebait Manor.

They go to Wormwood Scrubs prison to collect a suitable prisoner being released, but in error collect Wilfred Sapling, a plumber who has been doing repairs in the prison. Their conversation to get the man to steal a painting is at cross purposes and he thinks they are discussing plumbing. Meanwhile, elsewhere, a real burglar – Barger – chooses his next target and throws a dart at a map, hitting the town of Egham. Barger attempts to rob Whitebait Manor but is caught and sent to prison. Sapling goes to the prison to repair the plumbing and helps Barger and other convicts escape through the sewers dressed as a church choir. Sapling follows them and he in turn is pursued by PC Budgie. Sapling and Barger steal a police car to escape but are caught by the police.

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A typical Whitehall farce which soon abandons its mistaken identity theme for the lunacy of a mass prison break. On the way the flimsy plot takes in plenty of trouser-shedding, good-natured fun at the expense of the law, the hard-up aristocracy and the stately home racket, and finds room for Brian Rix's celebrated female impersonation act. Too much is laboured, but the improvisations of Leo Franklyn, Naunton Wayne, Charles Heslop, John Slater and Irene Handl fill out the nit-witted fringe."[4]

TV Guide gave the film two out of four stars, and noted, "Another amusing farce by the Rix-Conyers team."[5]

References

  1. ^ "NOTHING BARRED | British Board of Film Classification". Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Nothing Barred". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  3. ^ BFI.org
  4. ^ "Nothing Barred". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 28 (324): 156. 1 January 1961 – via ProQuest.
  5. ^ "Nothing Barred".


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