Not Now, Comrade
| Not Now, Comrade | |
|---|---|
.jpg) British quad poster | |
| Directed by |
Ray Cooney Harold Snoad |
| Produced by | Martin C. Schute |
| Written by | Ray Cooney |
| Based on | "Chase Me, Comrade" (play) by Ray Cooney |
| Starring |
Leslie Phillips Windsor Davies Carol Hawkins |
| Music by | Harry Robertson (as Harry Robinson) |
| Cinematography | Jack Hildyard |
| Edited by | Peter Thornton |
Production company |
Not Now Films (Independent) |
| Distributed by | EMI (UK) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 89 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Not Now, Comrade is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Ray Cooney. It was a very loose follow up to the 1973 farce Not Now, Darling. It featured a number of British comedy actors of the era including Leslie Phillips, Windsor Davies, Don Estelle and Ian Lavender.[1] The film was shot at Elstree studios, and was intended as the second in a series of ‘Not Now’ movies, but box office returns for the film, unlike those of its predecessor, were disappointing. [2][3]
Plot
Russian ballet dancer Rudi Petrovyan wants to defect. Unable to reach the British embassy, and pursued by the KGB, he hides out with, and falls for, stripper Barbara Wilcox. But Rudi's escape route in the boot of a Triumph backfires when he accidentally climbs into the wrong car, and ends up in the country home of unsuspecting naval Commander Rimmington (Leslie Phillips).
Cast
- Leslie Phillips as Commander Rimmington
- Roy Kinnear as Hoskins
- Windsor Davies as Constable Pulford
- Don Estelle as Bobby Hargreaves
- Michele Dotrice as Nancy Rimmington
- Ray Cooney as Mr. Laver
- June Whitfield as Janet Rimmington
- Carol Hawkins as Barbara Wilcox
- Lewis Fiander as Rudi Petrovyan
- Ian Lavender as Gerry Buss
- Richard Marner as 1st Russian official
- Michael Sharvell-Martin as 2nd Russian official
Critical reception
The Radio Times called the film a "horrid comedy of errors," adding, "for the sake of a hard-working cast, let's draw a discreet Iron Curtain over the whole charade";[4] whereas the British Comedy Guide noted, "a really delightful forgotten gem of British cinema comedy";[5] and Time Out said, "from the darkest days of British cinema, a farrago which began life as Cooney's Whitehall farce, Chase Me, Comrade."[6]
References
- ↑ "Not Now, Comrade". BFI.
- ↑ http://www.elstreestudios.co.uk/Film_tv/not_now_comrade.aspx
- ↑ "Networkonair > Features > Not Now Comrade".
- ↑ David Parkinson. "Not Now, Comrade". RadioTimes.
- ↑ "Not Now, Comrade".
- ↑ "Not Now, Comrade". Time Out London.