Grand Slam (1978 film)

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Grand Slam is a 1978 sports comedy film from BBC Wales. The film starred Oscar-winner Hugh Griffith, Windsor Davies, and Sion Probert.

[edit] Plot outline

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Four men, members of a Welsh rugby club fly over as part of an outing to Paris for the weekend to see Wales play France in the Grand Slam. One of the party is Caradog Lloyd-Evans (Griffith), who briefly served in occupied Paris during World War II. Caradog pays for his son Glyn's air ticket on the proviso that Glyn comes on a 'pilgrimage' to find his 'little butterfly' who he spent a short romantic period with during the war. This pilgrimage is successful and although the right place is found, it is no longer the innocent bistro of his youth but one of many strip club joints. Mr Lloyd-Evans mistakes a young girl in the club (who is a spitting image of his 'little butterfly') for the real thing and finds that the girl is actually the daughter of his old flame. He is (naturally) disappointed but Glyn (Dewi Morris) gets himself acquainted with the daughter while Caradog reminisces with his 'butterfly'. A quick call to the hotel brings the entire tour party to the club where fun and frolicking takes place lead by Mog. Some locals take exception and a mass brawl starts with the police getting called in. All are arrested except Caradog (protected by his 'butterfly') and Gwyn (hidden in the daughter's room).

Sion Probert plays camp hairdresser Maldwyn Pugh, who is the only one of the original four who makes the start of the match, because Mog (Davies) is still in jail because he was considered the ringleader (the others were released), Caradog is with his 'butterfly' and Gwyn is trying for his own sexual 'Grand Slam'. Mog is eventually released halfway through the first half of the match, but when he finally arrives at the stadium, the match has seconds to go and Wales unfortunately lose. Caradog is found collapsed near the table, and his old flame thinks he has died, but her daughter fires a decanter on his face, and the story ends with Caradog warning his son of the dangers of overseas travel.

The film is iconic in Wales, being broadcast many times in the twenty-seven years after it was made. It is also popular in Australia.

This film marked the second-last film or television appearance of actor Hugh Griffith who died in 1980.