The Hotel Inspectors
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| “The Hotel Inspectors” | |
|---|---|
| Fawlty Towers episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Guest stars | Bernard Cribbins |
| Written by | John Cleese & Connie Booth |
| Directed by | John Howard Davies |
| Original airdate | 10 October 1975 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "The Wedding Party" | "Gourmet Night" |
"The Hotel Inspectors" is the fourth episode of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
When Basil hears of hotel inspectors anonymously roaming Torquay, he realises with horror that the guest he has been monstering could easily be one of them.
[edit] Cast
Episode credited cast:
- John Cleese as Basil Fawlty
- Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty
- Andrew Sachs as Manuel
- Connie Booth as Polly Sherman
- Ballard Berkeley as Major Gowen
- Gilly Flower as Miss Abitha Tibbs
- Renee Roberts as Miss Ursula Gatsby
With:
- Peter Brett as Brian (hotel inspector, 1st?)
- James Cossins as Mr. Walt
- Bernard Cribbins as Mr. Hutchinson
- Geoffrey Morris as John (hotel inspector, 2nd?)
- An un-named actor plays the 3rd hotel inspector, Chris
[edit] Plot
Two guests, Mr. Walt and Mr. Hutchinson, arrive separately at reception. Mr. Walt says very little, however Mr. Hutchinson speaks in a very drawn-out and pompous manner that irritates Basil. Basil becomes increasingly irate as Hutchinson makes unreasonable requests and asks for specific directions to a meeting. He accidentally tells Mr. Walt to 'P-off', and also produces subtitles for Manuel to understand what he is saying.
Sybil informs Basil that a friend of a friend overheard three hotel inspectors in a pub in Torquay. This information raises Basil's blood pressure several notches, and becomes obsessed with determining if any of the guests are actually inspectors.
When Mr. Hutchinson asks if he can reserve a television, he says something which makes Basil's hair stand on end: In my professional activity I am in constant contact with hotels. This leads Basil to the conclusion that the guest is actually an inspector. Basil changes his attitude towards the guest and escorts him to the dining room, where lunch is about to be served.
Being as nice as pie to the demanding Mr. Hutchinson, he overlooks Mr. Walt who is forced to wait after his bottle of wine proves to be corked. The meals are mixed up by the chef, and Huchinson gets several meals that he didn't order. Basil attempts to fix up the misunderstanding until Sybil reveals that Mr. Hutchinson is not an inspector but in fact sells spoons. Basil promises revenge on Hutchison for his supposed deception.
Mr. Walt says to Basil that he is in Torquay with two colleagues leading Basil to believe that he is actually the inspector. In order to prevent Walt getting a bad impression, Basil tries to stop Hutchinson compaining by choking him, eventually rendering him unconscious.
Hutchinson regains consciousness and starts punching Basil at reception, and tells him he is leaving instantly and doesn't expect to receive a bill. Mr. Walt, who witnessed the situation, is flabbergasted. Basil tries to pay him off, offering to bribe him not to mention the chain of events which had just taken place when he reviews the hotel. Basil then goes into hysterics, realising how much he has just risked the hotel's reputation. Mr. Walt reveals he sells outboard motors and consoles Basil.
The real inspectors turn up at reception whilst no one is around, and they briefly discuss their plan of action for looking at hotels. Basil and Manuel throw pies at Mr. Hutchinson and pour milk in his briefcase as he leaves the hotel. The gobsmacked inspectors watch in awe. Basil crosses over to the reception, and screams in terror when he realises they are the real inspectors.
[edit] Trivia
- At the end of the episode, there are clearly three hotel inspectors, however only two of them are named in the closing credits. Dialogue spoken to them refers to the third gentleman as 'Chris'.
- The man named Bill Morton, whose friend overheard the hotel inspectors in a bar, was named after the vision mixer for the series, he is the only member of the crew distinguished enough to be mentioned in the series.
- Mr. Hutchinson asks if the hotel has a table tennis table, to which Basil replies, “Indeed we do, it’s not in absolutely mint condition but it could certainly be used in an emergency”. Apparently this is John Cleese’s favourite one-liner in all the episodes.[citation needed]
- The scene in which the wine is 'corked' involved improvisation on the actors' parts, John Cleese and James Cossins were unaware of which way the wine would go, if at all. Loosely scripted dialogue was therefore at hand.
- The only time in the series we ever see evidence of Basil smoking, when Sybil steals the lighter in the opening scene.
