Peter did ask me to marry him, but I think, you know, I think
the reason Peter asked me to Miriam was probably because
that's what mr. Hoffman would have done.
I don't think it could be made today.
It's about a middle-aged man who blackmails a young vulnerable
girl into coming and living with him for a week.
And during that week, he teaches her about the Finer Things of
life, you know, he teaches her about how to eat snails and how
to play the piano and how to enjoy nature.
Aren't you going to eat them? I don't like them.
How do you know that? Don't try one.
Free yourself be venturesome. It's a new eating experience.
Hello and welcome to goon pod before we kick off and start
talking about the Peter Sellers film Hoffman, with my guest.
Patrick strain, I just thought I'd share some feedback from
people on social media over the last few weeks, just some
selected, thoughts and opinions, and brickbats, and bouquets not
so many brickbats. Actually, to be fair, the
episode that we recently did on Sykes with Lise and Andrew,
Roger Stevenson for my guests and big supporter of the show.
He messaged, he said fascinating discussion, I don't think Sykes
really ever had a job in the series.
There was an episode where he was a bus driver and had he was
the conductress originally called Sykes and a following,
but later, repeated as bus, Mike Haskins again for my guests
supporter of the show, Great Entertaining episode with Lise
and Andrew. The first series of Sykes and
are in the Was written by Johnny Spate Spate, then provided
storylines for Series 2 and 3. Two scripts each in series two
were written by Spike Milligan and John and Traverse monthly on
tour message. Great hearing Lise and Andrew
did you get any further with the kbh mystery to which and release
replied your guess is as good as ours monthly replied to that
saying, with my work hat on I looked at home office shirt
codes. Shortcodes As for old stroke new
prisons, but drew a blank. The only other acronym was a
Kingston Bridge house. It's bugging me now, Ian page
message me, nothing to do with the psychic episode.
He just wanted to ask me if I had ever tried to reach out to
Adrian Edmondson. To get them on the show.
Because in the ready for show Chain Reaction Lemak,
interviewed a Deadman's, sun', and in the first few minutes,
Eight talked about learning the scripts of the goons from the
Goon show scripts book basically.
And the answer to that as I replied to Ian.
As. Yes, I have tried a couple of
times through Adrian's agent to see if he would come on the show
and so far no dice, but okay, I'll continue, trying not not
every week, maybe once every Fortnight.
So that is just some of the feedback that the show has
received recently. I met do this, Regularly just if
time permits I may share some feedback and please do keep
responding on Twitter and on Facebook let me know what you
like, what you don't like. It just helps me to keep the
show trim and relevant and of interest to everybody.
So without further Ado, my guest as I said before, is the actor,
Patrick strain and Patrick is from norn Iron Northern Ireland
and he and I And I got together to talk about the 1970
underrated, I would say, Peter Sellers film, Hoffman and
Patrick, and I talked quite a bit and then he posited, this,
you know, you could almost sell the movie as the film.
That Peter Sellers never wanted you to see which around around
that time. You kind of have a few movies,
that Peter Sellers probably didn't want you to see.
But, you know, this is the one where he tried to fight back the
- From the producers. And again I've heard two stories
are one is that you want to buy back the - to burn it so it can
never be seen. And then another story is that
he may have wanted to buy it back just so he could completely
redo the movie. Oh, really?
Well. That would be it.
Well, no. That would be a disaster.
I think. Yeah.
It's kind of like, sort of how he redid through Manchu.
I was just thinking that's all I got.
It's a fascinating period in Cellars career because and we
seem to understand on this podcast cast, we seem to have
focused a lot on the sort of what was at the five-year
period. Really.
Hmm from about 1972 to the return of the Pink Panther and
75 million five-year period of of very little in the way of
quality 409. Well I mean there's a was a
handful of Little Gems like the optimists of nine elms.young all
which I actually I watched just today based on your Twitter post
because of the post. They're on your wall.
So I had a copy for so long. I've never ever watched it, but
I've only just watched it today and you're right, that is it,
that is, that's a lovely little gem of its wonders from sets a
time capsule. It shows you London at that
period. Yeah, it does.
You know he's walking around Leicester Square and there's
cars going around Leicester Square you know the Odeon is
showing the offense with Sean Connery yeah you've got posters
for behind the fridge with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
Or that my fat friend with Kenneth Williams.
It's a beautiful, little time capsule of that periods.
I'm thinking as I was so started saying, before we seem to have
covered a lot of the films from this period, we've done, we've
done, I mean, we're doing Hoffman today with me, only
gonna go with done. Ghost, the in the Noonday Sun,
we've done the block house. Yay, I'm probably forgetting
somewhere with. I'm due to do the optimists
actually in October because it will be the 50th anniversary of
its release. Well then that period is well.
You only really have one successful film which is there's
a girl in My Soup which is returned to the bolting Proverbs
back in the day. That's right.
Yeah actually that's on the Slate to do as well.
I don't know what it is about that period.
I don't know what it is because I'm not really a fan of here we
go. Okay, so I like I like I like a
lot of people that listen to this.
I love is black and white British British period.
Mmm. And all the little man comedy
says he called them himself. Absolutely.
Have. You got, can you sort of Off the
top of your head, real off your top three or four sellers films
or in terms of cell again, it's always kind of comes back to how
I remember sort of finding these films because again, my first
introduction to Peter Sellers is the ping-pong for films.
Yeah. And again you know when you're
quite young, you sort of you see an actor doing a certain thing
and you feel like that's what they always do.
So when I sort of started exploring his other movies, I
realized that That. Oh, he's more than just the
Frenchman, the falls down all the time.
And so I can like in terms of, I mean, if I was the pick, I would
always say the waltz of the toreadors.
Oh, that's an incredible on the dock, brief, wow.
Okay. Yeah, Battle of the Sexes.
Mmm, and heavens above. Those are the ones that don't
really get talked about. I mean, heavens above, maybe
more than the other three, but I've never heard anyone really
talk about Waltz of the toreadors.
What are the toreadors? I mean, I mean, this is again,
it's again, it's based on a play by Jean and we, and it's always
been described as sort of part of the fierce.
It's a, you know, it's again, in terms of that film it is.
It's your bog-standard Forest. You've got a Randy little
general going awry. And sleeping of all, the young
ladies has the sort of the wife who's always in bed.
But at it has a, you know, again, it has that French French
farce idea, people come in one door, come in the other.
But as I said, it's kind of its kind of farce price with a
fierce you because you have this scene, which is in the play as
well. Where the him and the wife have
this standoff, where, you know, turns out they cheating on each
other all their lives and Turns and as they're generally says my
God woman, but I hate you. What difference does it make?
I'm your wife. And I remember watching that I'm
such a cunning scene and what's been quite a sort of light
frothy British film, we now have talking pictures TV.
But you know, back about 20 years ago, you know, channel for
used to show black and white movies all the time.
And if you had a sick day from school, you know, you could stay
at home and you could want, you know, He's above or dark
Beauregard movie or something has stirred Granger?
Yeah, absolutely. I remember that.
Yeah, I remember, I remember typing, all sorts of things when
I was 17 like you say on Channel 4, in the afternoon, black and
white films, remember taping Invasion quartet which was a
film that Spike was in. Oh yeah, I've never is with the
bill bill Travers, that's right. I have never.
I again, that's something I've been searching high and low out
of never never ever been able to find it.
I have Got to call ahead at video of it obviously has long
gone. I haven't thought to actually
seek it out, but some point because at some point, I'm going
to get to the point where I need to cover it on this show, I
suppose. Well, yeah, because I think it
was part of his, he had a contract with MGM.
So, it was that and the postman knocks.
Hey, postman's knock? Yeah.
The husband's not. That's it.
Yeah, that's, that's coming up on a show later this year as
well. If he sings the thing, Jim
doesn't, he tell ya. That's one bit of the film I
have seen, is the opening the opening credits.
Yeah. Then the themed treats
delightful. But, and what's Okay?
So let's talk about Hoffman's. So when did you first catch
often, when you see popping for the first time, I've gone into
heejun be in Bangor, in Northern Ireland.
And I got a box that was Peter Sellers collection, it was
Studio canal, and this must have been the lead to thousands.
And it was on a, it was on a collection where the smallest
Show on Earth, kaltenbrunner the fo and the two-way stretch.
And I remember so I kind of watch them in order of their
release. And then I got the Hoffman and
it's such a old inclusion in that box set.
You know if you know this very early, very light, you know
again the over three you know you got Colin Braun the fo
you've got two way stretch which are you know, it's a precursor
to porridge brilliant film and then you've also adds more
credible movie. Yeah.
And and then you've got, you know, the smallest Show on Earth
which is a nice light British film from the 1950s.
Yes. Yeah.
And then you've got Hoffman which is this again as the
Director Alvin Rockoff, keep saying Politically Incorrect.
You couldn't do it now or days style film.
So that was, that was my first introduction to Hoffman on this
studio Canal box set, which I think I paid 10 points for it.
Can I find it in Brighton, called out last year in a market
and someone was selling it for 50 Quid.
Nostalgia didn't he called me in that?
Nah, well it's just been issued on.
Well, in the last what, 12 months has come out and Blu-ray.
Yes, I've got that. What?
The indicator? Yes.
Indicator release. Yeah.
With with notes, in the booklet that there's like, an idiot in
the booklet by John rain, former guests.
Yes. Yes.
And it has a husband called selected commentary by Alvin
rakoff, which I never seen before.
Where? It's not an entire directors
commentary, he just comment on a couple of scenes.
I watch that and watch that. It's interesting that I Under
why it was it was just selected scenes that he, I'm guessing
because the film is quiet. Let's face facts.
It goes at a glacial Pace. I said mmmm, well it's very
again, it's wordy. It is, it's a play again, we
kind of consider, you know, sometimes, you know, boost out
of tissues, turn the usually, you know, their first novel,
then they become a play. Then they become a film, or we
nowadays, something's a film then it becomes a musical.
Again, this from what I understand, This originally was
a television play called. Call Me Daddy written by Ernest
Gambler, starring Judy Cornwell who went on to be dizzy in
keeping up appearances, she did. Yeah and Donald Pleasence Quite
nice. Oh, you must be a good shopper.
That relies on anybody says By Appointment speak demanding lie
in the half strangulated Excellence of the indicia of the
cloths. Afraid.
I could never do that. I learned.
Why shouldn't you why be a victim or your life eat or be
eaten? Tom's mother speaks beautifully.
And Tom with fake gentility. He never got as far as that.
Twee little house with a Swedish Timber on the outside.
If it weren't for the proceeds of stolen property, I'm quite
sure, it's the only thing he's ever done wrong with his life.
Oh, it must be the onion. It's Tom, come along with Smith.
Pull yourself together. When in Clap by motion set, the
mind to creating order out of primeval chaos, set, the table,
Misfit set, the table, just for 2 Tonight.
We Dine a, do she know? Alright, then set the table,
just for 2 Tonight. We Dine Chez Vous.
He's he plays it for Laughs Mikey.
It wasn't very sort of. You kind of know that you don't
really get the Sinister. Donald Pleasence that you kind
of expect you don't get dr. Cribben.
You kind of get cul-de-sac Donald?
Let's just going to say it. Reminded me of cul-de-sac the
ski film. Yeah.
Which is Bonkers, isn't it? Yeah.
What kind of it seems to be sort of Donald Pleasence has go to
Comedy styling? Yeah.
But you kind of find A lot of
actors that generation iPhone Stewart.
Granger used to do the see him. They, when they played comedy,
you just spent tended to speak very fast, which I think, was
them trying to emulate, Cary Grant's.
But of course, at a natural sort of charm to him, which these
actors did, but not so much, pension for comedy.
So yes, one I know is it started off as a television play which
was also directed by Alvin rakoff written by Ernest Gambler
and won a couple. That me Awards.
And then it was decided to make it into a feature film.
So, I think, Alvin Rockoff rigidly, he wanted just to do
the play all over again with Judy Cornwall, Donald Pleasence
couple of weeks filming naked. Very low budget.
Yeah, but then the producer said, no no no you need you need
a star named for. This is a way bigger projects.
Then you're imagining so that enters Peter Sellers into the
equation because Bryan Forbes. Mmm.
Who is head of associated, British pictures?
Hmm. He and sellers obviously had a
history going back. There were friends and oh, yeah,
well Gary tried to, I tried to swap wives, at one point.
I thought if it was swapping by its, I think he just wanted to
take Brian, I've got one of those are her two stories.
I think one was again, I might be mixing this up with Princess
Margaret. Lord Snowdon.
But that's again, a lot of these stories just end up getting, but
I think you're correct color. I think he did.
Just want to take the next Newman.
I know both of the story is that he went to Bryan Forbes one day.
I think it was when there was it around the time of wrong, arm of
the law may be. Some yeah, would have been.
Yeah. And he said and Bryan Forbes,
and he were good friends, and obviously Forbes, was married to
Nanette Newman who was, who was in wrong arm of the law with
Sellers and sellers went up to Bryan Forbes and basically said
something along the lines of the net and I are deeply in love.
And you know, I just felt you could want You know, and of
course, there was, there was absolutely no truth in that
again, Bryan Forbes is just again, he's an interesting
character himself, you know, he starts off as an actor,
appearing in the least bit for me, he'd be quite well known for
the sun in An Inspector Calls. And then, as you said, you know,
graduates into being a writer during the league of gentlemen.
And then graduates into being a director there for king rat,
Stepford Wives, hmm But yeah booty again if we're coming
back. Hoffman at this period.
He's now become almost that again, he becomes the head of
associate. British pictures coming to the
tail end of the 60s. And from one eye, from what I
understand, this was his appointment, was an attempt to
kind of see if the British film industry.
Because though, Again by this point, the American money slowly
disappearing and the idea at the time, was to kind of create a
conveyor belt of films. I think they're known as the
Forbes 12 L've including the go-between with Joseph blow.
See the man who hunted himself starting Roger Moore right.
Yep. So yeah.
So again again oh what was the railway children?
One of those? Yes, rare weeks old was one of
them dropped by Lionel Jeffries him film.
Yeah, Tales of Beatrix Potter is in there as well and raging Moon
which folds the Forbes directed himself.
So yeah, it was this last, it was kind of seen as this
last-ditch attempt to basically bolster the British film
industry. When at this time of starting to
flag, merely because the Americans had called all their
money likes. I guess that's partly why.
The 70s is the British film industry in the 70s is seen now,
looking back as being this just a Spate of sex comedies and
really low budget, kind of news and really isn't it, which I
think is unfair, there's some great British films in the 70s.
Well, there's some crap, you know, they get Get Carter.
Yes, the go-between Women love the devil's, the others amazing,
British movies being made around this time, but again it's the
same time, you know, 1971 your biggest box-office hit is on the
buses. Yes, indeed I know it was it a
Adventures of a taxi driver makes more money than Taxi
Driver? The UK peasant.
That's wonderful. I really remember that God
wasn't Robert Lindsay and that or yes yes yes yes he's in the
first one. Yes, I guess he is, and I think
a lot lately page appears in one of the other ones, and then
denied, she was in it for years and years, so, okay, so so Bryan
Forbes. We assume that Bryan Forbes
suggested sellers for this film. I must again, I would assume
that was the case, but I've never seen Brian for as in
separate and for spreading sellers forward for it.
But again, they would have had a previous relationship.
So, that would have certainly helped sellers paycheck.
I said gone down by this point, I mean, from a million dollars,
you could get them for 300,000 times 9.
Yeah. Okay as everyone knows now in
early 69 sellers was filming the magic Christian.
Mmm. So I'm not quite sure I'm
guessing this. I didn't actually check but I'm
assuming that this was the next film, I think that's correct.
Yes, yeah, and it's quite it's, it's, it's an odd choice for
sellers to Jamie. Sellers had a history.
Had a history of choosing. It is the very odd.
It's a very odd choice, but then, as open Rocco says, he
doesn't think sellers, really read the script, right?
Yeah, yeah. I got it in one of the
interviews he kind of points out.
That album rock is like Canadian director, you know, starts off
in British television. You know directed, the original
Call Me Daddy, also did Requiem for a heavyweight.
The UK version was Sean Connery. Yeah, I've seen the American
Connery. I've seen the American original
of that, the TV, Oh yes, Jack Jack Palance yeah, yeah.
I'd love to see the shortcut because Michael Caine's in as
well, isn't he? Yeah, Michael Caine's in is well
and what forgotten her knee and but Barbara from dr.
Who won the first companions? Who was married to 0 Jaclyn
Hill. Yes!
Jaclyn Hill. Yeah, she's in there as well.
Yeah, wreck of says, on the directors, commentary on the, on
the Blu-ray that, but after it initial hostility from sellers,
towards wreck off, they see me firm friends.
And sellers met his family and spent time with his family and
seem to get on very well with Jacqueline, so, mmm, until until
he saw the film. And then apparently cut off all
time. Yeah, I'm trying to get him
fired from the film. By I think it's apparently they
I was album, Rock off and the producer been our beds were
heading to a meeting with sellers but it then turned out
Ernest Gambler got to the meeting, half an hour before.
For and was convincing sellers that rack of didn't know what he
was doing and he should hire Gibbler to direct the film
himself. Hmm.
I mean, the thing is, right? I like the way because wreck off
says that he based there was, like a standoff, wasn't there.
Mmm. And and rakoff had the upper
hand, and essentially was able to banish Gibbler from the set
permanently. As a result of what he saw is a
backstabbing really, he's bows. I mean giblet.
I love the fact, so he wrote the, the tally play called me
Daddy. He wrote the Italian play.
Wrote, the screenplay for this. Yeah.
But he also wrote a novel, didn't he?
He did. He wrote, he wrote a novel, but
he gave it a different title. Mmm, my little is, can I eat?
You know. Yeah, it's And then and then
again again it's one of these things is a project that you
never seem to let go of because then he staged it in Dublin
twice under the original title. Call me Daddy.
Yeah. And it's not, it's an
interesting. I mean, I enjoyed the film, I do
enjoy the film. It's never going to be in my top
ten or even top 20, but I don't know, but it's curiosity piqued,
my curiosity place, but it's a slight film, it's done, it's
not. I'm going to go through it
obviously, but it's not. He Am too.
I suppose, I suppose owners giblet.
This was the, the most success he had in his career.
Did, he was this the the one project that was most successful
for him? Oh yeah, many ways I think.
So again, Ernest Gambler, interesting, character, I
actually spoke to his son, a couple of years ago.
Carlos Gambler Who provided me with the original script for the
stage version took place in Dublin.
Hmm, and interestingly, when we were just chatting on the phone,
One of the few times we did. He did say that Peter Sellers
had turned to his father and said, oh, by the way, I'm
playing you. I'm playing you in this film the
K. I'd be insulted by that.
Yeah, so I think it says a lot of bonus kept.
Yeah. Okay, so yeah, it seems to be
the main thing. He again, the other thing on the
schedule, be known for what he is.
The ex-husband of Edna O'Brien. Now, the Irish writer really
Yes, you that? Which it is.
So, Carlos is the son of and Ernest.
Yeah. Okay.
Alright.
And you said before yeah rack off.
Repeatedly says, you know, political correct.
It was Politically Incorrect this.
Yeah, he says he says that you couldn't make it.
Yeah, you couldn't make it today now.
I don't know. I think you probably could make
it today. It just might be very dark would
be. It would be.
It would be Extremely dark. And again, if you know I've got,
I've got the copy the script and I've kind of always sort of
played a round of it. You know, turned yet again, you
could restage it, changing gender.
And so forth, or even sort of adding a roleplay element to it,
in terms of the characters because it's is just a
fascinating story. And again, when you kind of look
at it, there are so many interpretations of it.
We have you ever read? And I'm assuming you most likely
have at the life and death of Peter Sellers by Roger Lewis.
Absolutely. Yeah.
Well, which by the way, which by the way the the, you know, the
very striking front cover. Yes.
On the on the paperback.
Yeah. With with him looking quite
drawn and yeah, you're drawn out and forlorn and he's like it.
Yeah, that photo was taken during the filming of Hoffman.
Yeah it is. I think he's got the strategies,
got the script in his hand. If I The full.
And I'm not sure if that you see that on the book cover but I
think the full image. Yeah.
Is him with scripting hands? Yeah.
Because you quite rightly said looking very full lawn and
deflate you were afraid to go with me because of my Maniac
face. Yes, yes, girls, all over the
world are afraid of men. Is my expression expression.
Praying sad-faced men. You look at us all of you and
you're right. Every Miss Smith everywhere.
Swarms of mature sexually Stars men?
With their thoughts. Breast bottoms and thighs in
offices buses and Trends, man. You've missed the boat but you
still need love. Well, Miss Smith.
Their day is coming. A revolution is almost upon you.
Just you. Wait just you wait.
Hope never dies in a man, the good dirty mind.
So I had seen Hoffman 30 years ago.
It was on TV, a taped it and I want must have watched it.
The once, maybe twice, and pretty much erased it from my
mind, subsequently. And then the Blu-ray came out
last year and I bought it, and I watched it and it's pretty much
a to hand. It really that this there's four
people in the In the, you know, credited, the beginning for
actors but really, there's only two, isn't it?
Yeah. It's only Sinéad Cusack and
Peter Sellers. Yeah.
It is very much, I guess interesting.
It is very much like a play the game.
It's very much like a television play, which is interesting since
Alvin rakoff. Just prior to Hoffman, I got
fired from the anniversary with Betty dear bus because he was
directing it like a TV play. He was like, putting markers
down on the sets and she was like, no, no, no.
This is not high. There's not how film actors
perform as we got fired from a film and replaced by Roy, Ward
Baker. So it's interesting that sort of
beef being fired from a project just prior to Hoffman for you
know staging it far too much like a player television play.
And then the next project is this film that, you know, is
very much like a play. Yeah, hmm.
You think of I really do enjoy films that are adaptations.
Is of plays and which retain that staging us about them and
I'm thinking specifically, and of course, it was a TV playing
itself. 12 Angry Men, the film version of 12.
Yes, yes, I love that film as one of my all-time favorites,
the Rope the Hitchcock film which yes, which was a play.
And that's pretty much one room. And of course, the conceit of
rope is that it's all done in one long, continuous, take,
which it isn't, but it but it gives the, it gives the
impression or tries to give. Oh yeah, just goes, goes past
the door. It cuts and so for again you
only get a bite I think is 10 minutes at little 10 minutes.
But there's a, there's a particular scene in this film
which is a really long single take.
Mmm, which I thought was really interesting.
But before we go into that, for anyone who hasn't watched this
film, which I guess is probably most people listen to this.
How would you could you summarize it without spoilers
in, you know, a pithy two or three sentences do And if these
two or three sentences, a businessman block Meals, one of
the secretaries that is offers to spend the weekend with him
before she gets married. It's about it really mean that
mean that, that is it I mean, it's a two-hour film.
But in reality in terms of a blurb that is that that is, that
is a, you know, he's just a weekend with your boss.
Yeah, so I wasn't, I wasn't sure.
I got the impression and it's this film reminded Ami in part
if you ever seen The Collector the yes, Terrence downturn stem.
It partly reminded me of that film you know where Terence
Stamp is this nonentity that works.
He's kind of is even is even middle management in this office
and everyone? Yeah, no one really kills him
and makes fun of him. And he's he's got no real
personality and he looks miserable and then he wins the
pools and he comes into my And he essentially what he does
kidnap this woman that he's taken a fancy to and holds her
in a an old country house out in the sticks.
Mmm. And this film reminded me of
that you have this man who seems to have Limitless wealth.
I don't know where the wealth has come from.
Yeah, yeah. And he and I my impression was
that he wasn't necessarily the boss of the firm that he was
more middle management. But I guess he's actually the
boss of. Yeah, I guess Smith who's played
by Sheikh. He's probably not the boss of
the company but he's on. These are ahead of her in the
company. Yeah, yeah.
So where's the money come from again?
I you guys you said like, who knows?
Again, the end up at Harrods of one point.
Hmm, I suppose it doesn't matter.
It's just, it's just not bothered me, but I kept thinking
he's got his He's a man of independent means here.
He's got a nice flat. Yeah I guess it's kind of I
think that's sort of the old film and television trobe you
know, you watch friends. And you kind of wonder how
Monica Monica and Rachel can afford the apartment in New
York. Yeah, true true.
True. Should a Cusack is brilliant in
this. She's absolutely astonishing in
this and she's absolutely. I totally buy her perilous.
Situation and her, you know, she's racked with anxiety, which
then turns to hatred, I guess. And then, um, and then contempt
and then, well, we'll get to that, but but she's absolutely
perfect for this role. And I think, yeah, one of her
first, I think may have been her first film role, or one of her
first film rules. Yeah.
Yeah, the film begins. She's we see it being seen off
at the train station by Because you presume it's her boyfriend
or fiancé. Yeah, well fiance made by Jeremy
Bulloch, who people may know his ball defense.
Well, I don't I've heard the name that's about it.
I'm a complete Star Wars. Ignoramus God.
Jeremy Bulloch is the actor who plays for perfect in.
Install was filmed here and the original original Star Wars
groans. Yeah, you see if you'd asked me
if you'd show me a picture of him, or I'd seen, you know,
because I'm watching it and I said, oh, I recognize him.
I know where I know him from he's, um, he's from the sitcom
Agony, the latest. Which, which was his role in
agony was groundbreaking. Actually, I don't know if you
remember Agony or you ever heard of Agony because Maureen?
I've heard never seen a Canadian Maureen.
Lipman sitcom, which I really enjoyed when I was a kid.
Well, there was a little bit adult, really think he back as I
have seen. It's an episode of IT
subsequently, but it was groundbreaking in that it
featured, two gay characters, who were who were together and
they were just normal. They were not, they were not
caricatures, they were not dare, I say screaming queens or
anything like that. It was, they were, you know,
they were plate, played very sympathetically and it is, it
was seen as being quite revolutionary I suppose.
It does a British that guns for that for that sort of portrayal
and he was one of the two and and also and also he turns up
in, what am I again? Film I absolutely love, I'm sure
you've seen it lucky man. Oh yeah I know I've seen if
return your hospital but I've never caught a lucky man.
All right okay he turns up and no lucky man in a very
memorable. Seen, I think, I think I've seen
the scene in question, which I just don't want to spoil the
fun. Anyway, we're moving up, but we
see, we see Jeremy Bulloch at the train station.
Seeing of his fiancee Janet played by Sinead O'Connor said,
a clean slate and we don't see him again for another nearly
nearly. Yeah.
Climax. Yeah, she's happy to know, he
gives her a kiss and she looks She's big smile and she gets on
the training. We can see a through the train
window and she's looking, she's looking very uneasy and then
she's sort of gets off the other side of the train.
And hmm, if you watch that movie, you weren't told anything
before. And that just that little
opening sequence with Jeremy Bulloch and Sinéad Cusack.
You would never know where was going to lead.
You know it's just too too young people going to the train
station and then you just have that little bit ago.
Just shows you how great you may choose acts performance is you
know, no words. There is just that switch and in
that moment, you go. Oh, something interesting is
going to happen here. Yeah.
So she leaves the station. Gets a cab and we have the
opening credits and she arrives at this very nice-looking
apartment building Suppose that's and mmmm.
She goes up. The are the, the lift and gets
to a certain door Rings, the bowel.
And the door is opened by a very vaguely drunk, looking Peter
Sellers, very pale looking Peter salivary.
Yeah. come in, Miss And he invites her
in and she's very anxious and fearful and she asked to go to
the bathroom. Yeah, even that opening.
Its so the door opens, he stands there, he inhales there's this,
there's this breath, he takes before he says come in Miss
Smith. Just that just that little
moment is just again, what are we, what are we about?
Walk into you? Can you try and think?
Okay, this character. What's he been doing?
In the sort of, our leading up, bringing on the doorbell?
You obviously, because we see later in the film.
What he's waiting for the doorbell to ring, he's probably
pacing. You had a flat in himself, he's
probably extremely nervous. Mmm doubting himself.
And I think the characters fair to say is full of self-loathing
anyway. So yeah, you can't imagine the
things that have been going on in his head while he's been
wearing it earlier. Drive.
Now, loving and a fantasist as well.
I mean, in many ways, you know, how does he think this weekend
is really going to go? Yeah, but we find out later, not
really spoiling it. But we find out that he has
blackmailed Janet Smith to spend a week with him at his flat and
in exchange, he will not tell the police that her boyfriend
has been Running a sort of Racket to do with cigarettes and
Denis that because that's because the company they work
for, presumably produces cigarettes.
And and the trucks, that transport the cigarettes, the
boyfriend of Janet Smith who also works at the firm has been
selling the roots and the times for these trucks, two thieves,
who have then been stealing these Consignments and he's
being receiving a commission. Somehow have you somehow or
other Hoffman has become wise to this mmm and using this kind of
wonder how long he's known this information for and just kind of
let the game play out for his Advantage.
Exactly. You wonder that?
Don't you, but off the back of all that we don't know this at
the beginning of the film, of course, all we know is that
there's that she does not want to be there, but Jeanne, she is
compelled by some, for some reason, to be there.
She's obviously, trying she knows that at some point or she
She very strongly suspect that at some point soon.
She's going to be obliged or he's going to try have his
Wicked way and she's trying to obviously Delay that mmm that
moment so she says that she's got a headache and she asks if
he's got any aspirin, he goes into the kitchen and he's doing
this weird thing where he's you've got the what do you call
it? The the little little shutters
in between serving hatch in the kitchen.
I was serving hatch. That's it.
Yeah and and when he's in Vision because she's in the living
room, she can see him when he passes the serving hatch in the
kitchen, he tries to sort of remain quite Cool and aloof, but
you never, he's out of vision. He sort of running around in an
almost like in a panic. Yeah, I got a little bit of, you
know, bit of comic business going on in the, in, in this, in
this scene. And yeah, again just being very
reserved and then the moment he can't see, he's just a dashing
around looking for this aspirin, which he throws into into the
tea. And then you have this sort of
little funny bit of dialogue about the aspirins out of date
or not, those who desperately Yes.
Yes, they may taste funny, hmm. You keep staring at me because
now I can stare at you. I can even touch you only
because you're forcing me. This with our agreement says
that you are supposed to look happy and willing p.
Supposed to be getting married in three weeks time.
Suddenly I'm here forced to do this.
Why don't you take your shoes off and feel comfortable?
Nice, hate fizzy talk. You said that you treat me with
respect. Nothing, filthy about shoes.
And I do have full useless. Oh, cringing.
And again it's sort of the way he delivers again is interest.
You rakoff kind of makes this point where he said, you know, I
had Donald Pleasence in the TV playing, who's known as, as we
said, previously a serious straight actor known for
building these parts but when he played the role he played in
rather comical and then your Peter Sellers who you know up at
this point you know very well known comic actor and this point
is career sellers was mourned I'm I would say when you've got
movies like After the forks and what's new pussycat?
Yeah, it was kind of maybe a bit more known for slightly more
over-the-top performances. Yeah, yeah, and then you have
this, which is a very straight, very subdued.
You've got little bits of comic business going on but even they
feel very subdued. Well, his voice is just really
an extension of his his actual speaking voice.
So he's was there isn't really our we used to in Casino Royale.
Yeah, that's right. Yeah.
As He has, you know, he liked to put a put on voices so that he
could kind of disappear. Well, originally rack rack off
said, I think that if it really wants to play Hoffman with a
German or Austrian accent, jeez, it says in the contract or meant
to be willing, you can imagine it with it with it, with the
Strangelove glasses on. Not like you want to be
fertilized. So parallel.
Yeah. So apparently Let's date comes
to the come to the table with some form of Teutonic, German
accent. Richie was dissuaded from from
doing. I mean, it might have been a
better film. It's not a bad film as it is,
but it might have been even better with that.
I don't know, maybe that's the Virgin who's going to make
after. They think she cheated one
point, she sort of manages to. Well, she decides that she's
just going to leg it from the from the flat at one point, and
he calls after who basically just Says, you know you if you
go out that door, you know, what will happen and she yeah with a
with a heavy heart, she she makes her way back up to the
flat and we get the scene in the bedroom with this really long
take that I mentioned earlier. Mmm, and interesting.
Watching it second time around when she sees this bed.
And she says, is this the only bed and he says it's the only
bed in use. Yes.
And, and I thought about that, and of course, The only other
bed she doesn't know about. Does she did the only other bed
in the flat? She doesn't let this point know
about, which is no, no, no. Yo, she finds that out later on,
in the film. That there is a, there is a mrs.
Hoffman, although Wars and mrs. Hoffman, yeah.
That's intriguing that hole. Hmm, I got ya.
Probably get onto that bit later on but yeah, you're again the
mysterious mrs. Hoffman, almost a bit like mrs.
Mannering. Yes, she confirms to huh.
I've been that she told Tom that she was going to see her granny.
Who'd had a full granny, granny and Scarborough scarf.
Yeah. And parents are dead.
So it was a grandmother water up.
So that she's very close to her. And she's told the girls with
whom she shares a flat that she told them the same story.
So he nobody knows that she's still in London and certainly
they don't know that, she's at happens.
To me, that's another moment of why should a cue?
Zach is so good in this film? Yeah, is that A realization that
she realizes that she said it out loud to expect basis because
to make sure to tell him all. I've covered my tracks, don't
worry, nobody knows I'm here. But then the moment when she
says that line, that no one knows, I'm here.
The look on her face is just. Yeah.
Oh, and we are going to spoil this film.
If you've never seen this film before, and you're watching up
to this point, and from what you've seen so far, you could be
forgiven for thinking Taking that Hoffman is a serial killer
or a killer. Mmm.
Oh he's all right. I mean, Roger Lewis, greedy
implies that he's a vampire in terms of that opening.
I would kind of agree. There is this slight sort of,
you know, slight Bela Lugosi Christopher Lee element of when
she enters you'll come in Miss Smith and all that.
So yeah, sort of serial killer and then Roger Lewis is vampire
again, that sort of drained. Look as well.
Yeah, he's always speaking in these epigrams which clearly he
thinks a very clever. Yeah.
Yeah again as you said you know you've got the 80s and very
quotable film some of the things he says.
Yeah some of them are funny and some of them sound like they
should be funny but they're not really it's not that you his
cruel. It's not that youth is mine.
This. it's just simply that youth is wasted on the young.
They have no idea how to use it. If a woman's biological urges
can make her wear her skirt up to her crutch, but can they not
do beg, your pardon idiot? Girls standing around at bus
stops. Freezing, thighs, bladder,
trouble spinning World. Women are always hungry for
something. Fallopian tubes with teeth.
Oh, no coward. He ain't.
But, and she's surprised because he's such a different man from
the man, she knows from work, which is, which is interesting,
because she kind of describes that again, you get this
impression than he is, just a bit of a bit of a, nobody in the
office, which is, which is what made me think of The Collector.
Exactly. Yeah.
It's just a bit of a nobody in the office.
Yeah, which is kind of, a sort of wonder what she maybe thought
he was because he can't. He does kind of come across as
the nobody in the office. Yeah, sort of blending.
Again, it's one of those performances that, you know,
almost sort of terms of his look not in terms of his eye, but
does it look? You saw you blend into the
wallpaper? Well, he describes himself as
being one of those planes sad-faced men.
Yeah. He says, yeah and then he says,
he made me laugh out loud because I mean, it's quite sad,
but she hits upon about a possible motive as to as to why
he's putting it through this hell.
Okay, she thinks he wants to get back at her for the time.
You'll fall for the notes that are no.
Yeah he wrote her a note. A year ago, inviting her to a
play. And she told all the other girls
about it and he was humiliated and she says this to him, and he
shouted, something, he shouts something along the lines of
you're afraid to go out with me because of my Maniac face.
Yeah, that's the thing I wrote down as well because as winner
in the bedroom and all this sort of creepy things.
He's saying he's clearly a misogynist e and I wrote down
and early insult or in cell, you know, men that just can't get
laid. I just yeah, I I saw him as a
pioneer of that movement because those YouTube should have been,
this should have been the tagline for this show.
Only inside. You go to the cinema to watch
this film with Peter Sellers, as in it, you're going to expect a
And it's not a comedy. Yeah.
When it does this little comedic moments, little comedic moments.
Yeah, but you'd be disappointed if you went, if it was someone
out, if it was only that and actor in the leading role who
was known for dramatic and he's a whole different ball game but
yeah, I'm sure that's how you probably felt when you first saw
it. You'd probably expect.
Yeah, it's big boffo laughs and it wasn't exactly what
particularly when you've again with Fox started.
You put it with what are these quite gentle 1950s British
property. Yes, yeah.
And then you have this film which is the you know the dying
Ember of 1910 Turing into the sort of Darker period of British
Cinema. Yeah, we get the same with it.
He takes her to a restaurant. Mmm.
And she slept with fellows had the all the tablecloths changed
because they were originally purple, purple here, and she
doesn't take to anything on the menu and this is where I He's a
this is I think this is an ad lib.
He says maybe you prefer some boiled cat it or you don't it
has that great moment as well. When he says it says to her it's
all the details of the waiter. It is off.
Yes. And then he says, they have Dave
snails in the menu and she pulls a face.
And he says, I remember when my father first introduced me to
snails mlo snails how are you? And understand how say we're
about to be eaten salute? You I'd love to think that cell
is just improvised that but it's probably in the script.
Yeah. Well actually I don't just as a
sideline, I think Sinéad Cusack and sellers started a
relationship while on this movie.
Yes, he did. Apparently, there were about to
go out on a date and she was just the story.
I was told, was that though they were about to go out on a date.
She was waiting whenever she was waiting, and as she was waiting
for him, a helicopter appeared sand with sellers in it, and
they flew off to Paris for the weekend.
No, other time. I think he was doing was quoting
Miranda. Miranda Quarry at the time.
Yeah, yeah. How long was the Sinéad Cusack
sellers relationship? Do you know I am from?
I think it was just the film, right?
Okay. We we get back to the flat and
when she's had too much coffee, she's a too much coffee.
She said she's got heartburn. And he rather irritably goes and
fetches. I think some milk and pours it
into a brandy. Yes.
He's got a Dictaphone, into which he's recording some night
thoughts, which had just misogynistic sort of stream of
Consciousness and his end and then the, the sort of the rug
being pulled, he gets into bed, she's in bed, she's absolutely
bricking it. He sets the alarm for 6:00 a.m.
The he's taken some sleeping pills and he says, when he
awakes at 6 a.m. bright and early, she'll be sleeping,
sweet, lie beside him and then he'll be ready to go.
I suppose that's the implication.
He turns off the light and settles down to sleep.
Yeah. And they're wide awake.
The way sellers does. That is I think for me it's
really common, right? Take that.
And then even the way he sort of like it goes to sleep, just kind
of jumps jumps in the bed and just It goes over.
Yeah. Again I think again I think that
must be another little bit of comic business.
He's kind of thrown in there. Yeah, she gets up in the night
because she can't sleep because of all this coffee and she puts
her coat and clothes on and bear a on and dude and she can't get
out because the doors double-locked, he wakes up but
he's not really awake and he's sort of Blair Ali says the name
Barbara. Hmm.
Goes for a way very very loud way.
Okay yeah. Again, another little sort of
comic me like I'm sleepwalking before I must have very good
aim. But you wonder who Barbara is
and that further further Stokes your suspicions that maybe, you
know, he's killed someone. Yeah, he's done.
He's done this before. Yeah, she just decides to get
into bed, fully clothed fully clothed and, and he wakes up the
next morning and is, he works out.
What's happened, doesn't need the next morning and oh, yeah.
And in what is the fact? Because if you have that, Run,
that is the fantasy idea because he wakes up.
Well, when I wake up you, there you will be in my bed out, of
course, turns around. And she's wearing her, she's
wearing her white Mac and better.
If they're ready, they go for a stroll in Richmond Park.
Yes. So we said I think it's a Friday
evening that she arrives in his flat.
These are the next days Saturday obviously.
So do they do they go for a bracing?
Walk along. What looks like an a road and
then into Richmond Park. There's the windmill, and the
feeding, the ducks, or the sellers is.
Quacking at the ducts which I think was a lovely little
little. Yeah, I mean, I kind of remember
where I've heard him do that before, but that that quack
quack, the way he does it, I've heard and do that somewhere
else. I can't remember where, but it's
a very again, always find the sellers.
There's always little noises that he makes that are very
similar in all his Bees like is that all sort of sound and it's
always amazed me. Regardless of the car again
sellers was this could inhabit these characters but he always
had these little you always handle one or two Little Tex and
I always felt like that little moment was a little sellers.
Take a satire cell has a seller's noise again.
Yeah, radio performer. Yeah, you just had these little
Tex and it's just that little moment.
I was it, the one moment the movie?
I go. That's a little sellers moment
that it's not a comic moment. It's a seller's noise.
Sighs. Absolutely been sellers appeared
in some lousy movies and this isn't one of them, I'm not
including use and but but he did appear in some lousy movies.
But even in the lousiest movies, even dare, I say Foo Manchu.
He'll add something. Oh, yeah, something even Foo
Manchu. I think nayland Smith is kind of
one of his one of his better performances.
Yeah. It was an interesting,
interesting performance. Again, it's a lot more subdued
than you'd expect in the fiendish plot.
Threw money at he. And, and Hoffman is, he's
obviously, you know, enjoying this, as I say, bracing stroll,
through the park and Janet, is, is laggy behind because she
skinned her heel. Hmm.
And she's mutters because he just walks on.
She mutters hanging would be too good.
Are you might? He might he Marches On?
Yeah, yeah, she says hanging would be too good for you.
Yeah. So she started to get a bit, you
know, she started to gain a bit of confidence, isn't she?
Hmm. Because At first she was just I
guess terrified. Yeah.
And timid you get the impression that she's you know in her
natural habitat you be quite ballsy for want of a better
phrase let me get credit. Hmm.
And again you sort of get that with the background a we bet you
know you don't really get much detail about the parents but I'm
sure I'm assuming what again you sort of do.
They've not been a they've not been around for a while because
the grandmother is looks after that raised her.
Yeah, I'll get Scarborough now she's looking after the
grandmother. Well, that's the story she
gives. Yeah.
So yeah, I think that that side is starting to come out.
They she's hasn't had an easy life.
So I think that starts to come out by this point.
Yeah, well, she kind of gains her confidence against this.
This plane Maniac, man, shit. And then there's a little bit of
of tenderness back at the flat when she actually allows him to
clean up the skinned ankle to me to put liniment liniment or
something. He puts on it.
I'm not. Yes, yes.
Yeah. And then his finger Straight
Ahead, though, they stray a little bit and you jerks a foot
back and falls asleep, because she's been awake all the
previous night. Yeah.
And he sort of stairs a rather sadly and then puts it a bed.
We've got this interesting scene, the next morning when he
still asleep and she wakes and does like a recce of the house
and she finds these women's slippers in a, in a closet.
Yeah yeah and she sees the some books in the kitchen and she
starts reading them in one book. There's an inscription on the
Flyleaf to Barbara and Hoffman and there's a diary as well,
which was rather careless I think of.
Yeah. Benjamin Hoffman to leave
evidence around. Yeah, and she's reading aloud
from this diary obviously for our benefit.
Mmm. And she reads to appear in high
court, three weeks, hence, Monday morning 10:00.
And while she's reading out loud, Hoffman as awoken, and he
walks up to the door of the kitchen and sort of stairs are
as she's reading this diary And and she's reading this entries,
which says how did she become a so short of time?
Such a vein, demanding, treacherous woman, she was old
enough, it should have shown from the beginning, what blinded
us or am I several people to think that many a man hanged for
such a wife, where was my judgment?
And then Janet startled as husband walks in and disturbs
her obviously. And, and she's quite, you know,
she's She's quite confident enough to sort of throw it him.
You know, you never told me, you were married.
And he brushes over there, he doesn't really want to talk
about that, does he? No, not again, I think that's
sort of, like, the last bit. We see of it, isn't it?
The mention of the wife as she said.
Yeah, it's yeah again. Yeah, I guess she could gain to.
Yeah, they've read that bit gains are confident again.
And again, it still doesn't answer any questions about where
she's gone is, she is she living?
Is she dead? Do you think?
Yeah me do you think that Jenna at this point is really starting
to get worried that he could have murdered his wife.
Yes, I again I think maybe not Janet but I think the audience I
know, I know I certainly did but I watched it.
Hmm. The first time around because it
can, it is such a again, in terms of the music, in terms of
them, lighting is a very, very dark piece.
So it wouldn't have surprised me if that was something that would
come up. He notices that she's wearing
these slippers, he and his quite angry about this, and he demands
that she takes them off, and then he takes them and he gets a
kick. It goes across the whole to this
locked door fetches, a key. From the top of the door frame,
opens it at a crack throws the slippers and locks the door and
replaces the key. And she's all the while she's
watched this, she's noticed this and then he comes back into the
kitchen and Is Forgiven and he says, you can't win in this
game. Miss Smith, you don't know the
rules, let's have some breakfast and he's the horror a bit which
is a nice way to start the day, isn't it?
Yeah, let's have some eggs. Yeah, preferably not fertilized.
We see them at Harrods like you mentioned before they say.
Yeah. Yeah.
I got a interesting story about the herod's.
Gently, after the finished finish filming in there, the
producer, been, our bed, was handed a bill because the studio
light are so hot that they basically went like the owner
Harris went, this is Harrods. I can't sell this meat.
You've got to pay for it all, really?
Yeah, yeah, but that would not have been much change out of the
budget. Yeah.
So apparently the crew. Got the pocket.
All this been all. They paid for it.
He was like, well I can't take it.
So he turned to the crew and they just took all their your
racks of lamb sausages, chickens Broadmoor.
Okay, got the eat well that night.
Yeah, God does a lot. This dressed whole pigs, isn't
there? There's some there's that shot
where Janet stood, under a huge rack of hanging and I'm glad you
mentioned that. Serial killer and she is just
stood in front of these racks of rats of them, fresh meat, fresh
meat. Yeah.
Again it's just a moment of horror really going into Texas,
Chainsaw Massacre home and he's Playing the piano and they seem
almost for a moment. There seems to be this kind of
unspoken tenderness between them yet.
They start they start to get along and this is a point where
was it is. This is the way, he has that
little song. Once I knew a pretty girl, I
loved her as my wife but then I put my hands around her neck and
robbed her of her life. It's Rich its again.
So yeah, another tick in the column for him being a promise.
Idol Maniac. Yeah, if you didn't know better
you only start. They started having this
amicable domestic really domestic relationship.
I mean, there's nothing physical by this point but they they just
seem to be getting on getting along.
Yeah. And then we see the big bed
again. Hmm.
He's reading the Sunday Times magazine and she's she's she's
got constipation. Yeah, and she asks him if he's
got anything to relieve it and he's again, he's irked and he
goes I guess I think I think this always comes back to the
fantasy element because, you know, he is clearly, this older,
man with this younger woman and I'm supposedly.
I think he's expecting more the constipation in the bedroom, but
then he doesn't really do anything to incite anything
which Of course, will come up later on when she accuses to ask
some, why? Why he's not doing anything
well? I think, yeah, I think, looking
back at this film secretly, he's pleased that there's all these
obstacles put in his way. Yeah, you wouldn't know what,
you wouldn't know what to do. Yeah.
And he's not, he's not done. He pretends, he pretends, he
doesn't that. He pretends that he's annoyed.
Hmm, but secretly. He's happy, he's please, yes,
you know. And again, I think it's Comes
back to the film's tired line as well.
You know, hope never dies in a man who good dirty minds because
that's kind of what it is. It gives a talk EP so it's all
talk. There's very little action.
They can it. Well, it's the dog that chases
the car. What happens when he catches?
Yeah, exactly. What he Hoffman has got what he
wants. It's his fantasies come true,
but this is the part of the fantasy where he has to take
action and he, he doesn't. Yeah.
She's really starting Need to gain some almost like a bit
little bit of dominance over him in the sense that she loses a
rag, because she says he's not doing anything.
He's just going to sleep and snoring, and he refuses to
believe that he snores. All this.
There's the bit where he has that cramped like you do not.
Here's the cramp in his foot. We have to do is just a bit hot
and the ground beneath have a new question.
What is god? Well Lincoln he is stuck with
some. I'm guessing.
Yes people living underneath them but but again like even
that the flat the block of flats.
You never see any sign of Anything that again it kind of
brings me back again. I gotta go back to Roger Deuces
idea this sort of Dracula vampire character because it
almost feels like that you have as you see as we're saying only,
The Barbers room that she's not allowed to go into.
There's only like certain spaces she's allowed in, and it's a wee
bit. Like, you know, Harker going to
tracklist Castle usually allowed in certain areas and it has that
feel to it. You know, she's not Allowed to
go anywhere unless he said you can go there.
Yeah, yeah. She wakes up the next morning
with a creek, she's quick to Nick because she slept awkwardly
and and she allows him to rub some ointment on to it and she
appears to almost enjoy it. And and he at one point his
hands almost moved. Like he's about was tempted to
strangle her. Yes, yes, she's seems very
conflicted in terms of wish Cease all this leading to and
she and then the liquid paraffin that he's given a for a
constipation, does its work and she has to exit the kitchen
quickly. Yeah.
But you see that you see them. The next scene is them on this
street in London and they're standing and walking along very
amiably together and they stopped outside a house, a large
house under renovation, mmm, which he reveals is going to be
his new flat. That's always a bit that clinic
confuses. Meek's, I'm thinking I'm because
he talks about the flat but I was kind of wondering it was he
buying the building converting them all into flats?
Or does he just dumps? Like, I think so.
But again, where's the money come from, I know.
Yeah, exactly. Where she walks around this
this, this room that's undergoing renovation you and
she sort of wanders around Imagining the decor that she
would choose if it was her. Yeah.
Git starts up playing for wallpaper.
We do see another actor at this point which is we Fred.
Fred the Builder. Yeah, which is Dave Lodge from
cockleshell. He wasn't cocky show Heroes
course. Dave lodges in it.
Of course. He is, of course.
It goes. I'm surprised brain starts going
to say, he doesn't even get, I think he gets a line and that's
it, isn't it? I don't think.
I don't think he's even really credited, you know in the
Phillies days. Definitely.
All credits start. I don't think he's credited the
end so I yeah, it's uncredited turn from from Dave's Lodge and
you're right. It does how he literally one
line about where it's where the sink is meant to go, or where
something is meant to go and Hoffman.
Like 10 know which it should go over there and then that's where
Janet goes off and checked out the wallpaper.
Yeah, that's right. Come here.
I'll teach you something from my extensive repertoire, this is
known as Chopsticks, right? And you start by playing these
two notes together and then you go to these two notes.
Little bit further apart than these two nodes.
And these two units. Along with mine.
What about this in the middle? I'll do that.
You can do that. Start down here.
You are. That'll be a duet or instant
cacophony. Are you ready?
1, 2, 3. I'm waiting for you and then we
have probably the best-known seen from this film the back of
his flat and they're both sitting at the piano playing
Chopsticks and really getting on well, aren't they?
Mmm. And And she, she says that she
should phone Tom her fiance because obviously she's meant to
be up in Scarborough, mmm. And then Hoffman says, well,
I'll pretend to be the operator. And yeah, and then that moment
is well he's it's almost it's the word giddy comes to mind
when I think of that moment. Yeah.
Um it's like oh, your fiancee and I was thinking anticipating
that sellers is going to Funny voice as the Opera.
Yes. Yes.
I think he's going to put on this really good.
You know, one of his female voice is one of his sort of
nosey female voices. The one, the one time he's got
the opportunity in this movie to do a voice that on his own, but
he doesn't. He just does it in his own voice
with it with a hanky over the mouthpiece, which thank you for
choosing me because the feet of the Beyonce will who will know
but we have a bit of sort of development in the plot here
because Janet speaks to Tom's mother And his mother tells him
that Tom the next day is going up to scarpered to see Janet,
easy, Janet panics MN and blabs out that, yeah, granny, grannys
all better. And again tomorrow, yeah, phone
phone goes, bang straight down. Yeah.
And and Hoffman is obviously devastated because she didn't,
he. Yeah, he's horrified, he's
again, it's that image in the image of him on front of the
life of death of Peter Sellers, that little boat.
But yeah, is yeah, yeah, he's only got Fortune.
He's only had four days with her rather than the lead week and
he's sort of, you can see him, just the, the cogs in his head
turning and he's trying to decide what what to do and then
you get the feeling he's decided, he has to accelerate a
plan because he says, he has to go out for about 20 minutes.
And you think, was he going out for and it, you can, you can
imagine what it could be. And like, all things.
It's the one moment in the film there.
Now, separate the entire film, they have been together there in
the sea. Hey, but there's the one moment
he goes, I'm popping out here. Yeah, and while he's out Janet
gets the key and opens that door.
Hmm. Is this really messy bedroom and
there's gin Tools. And The broken mirror the
dressing-table. And there's these letters and
they're from Barbara to Benjamin Hoffman.
And there's some, there's like a publicity photo that I've her, I
think. Yeah, they didn't quite use a
Mac User. She's a little more obvious, as
some of some description, and but the letters are very nasty.
That's say that she should be free from him and she's going to
be famous and, and whatnot. While Janet's reading these
Hoffman returns. And he looks thoroughly,
Richard, E, and, and he says that, he says, not tonight, Miss
Smith, something like that. Yes, yeah.
And and she gets up in the middle of the night and puts
perfume on in, it's like, she's decided to surrender herself to
him. Well, I think, yeah, he knows.
He knows it's the final. I think, I think she's assuming
that now, it's the final night. He will do the deed, as it were
creates, kind of his last opportunity to Yeah, so she she
gets into bed, takes her clothes off and then we see the him
waking up in the morning seeing had her naked back and he's
confused momentarily. Hmm.
And then I think he kind of maybe kisses her shoulder and
then he gets up. She's and she's Furious.
Yeah, she's, she's offended. Yeah, she calls my rotten hoaxer
and that's when it all comes out.
He just he admits. He just wanted to look after he
too. He to look after it to Baby her.
Yeah, he says you could live like a little mouse in my
pocket. I just wanted to Woo.
You, You You Mmm? Yeah.
And he's really on edge and she's Furious.
He manages to kind of placated with breakfast in bed.
And then he's walk, he's pacing around the kitchen, waiting for
something, he's making any screen trying to make himself
look a bit, sort of, you've got that, you've got the radio
playing playing as well. Oh yeah.
First time you've got with vote on the radio, play in this whole
time. That's true.
Yeah, but he's made, he's undoing the couple of buttons of
his pajama top and making himself look as if he's, you
know, he's been a shot all night or something.
And then the doorbell rings. He's expected this and of
course, it's And Thomas first thinks that he's at the wrong
house. And then, we oh, oh mr.
Hoffman, oh sorry. So what's happened to dr.
Hoffman's, gone out the night before and sent us a telegram to
you. Tom and Hoffman implies.
I didn't apply straight out says I think that I'm very casually
as well like it's very much. Come on.
Come on in. Have a cup of coffee?
Yes, she's here. She's in bed.
Yeah yeah yeah. And Tom confronts Janet.
Hmm and we got we got here. We got to hear a few more.
I get we get to hear. They are telegram, which is
another another ditty from Hoffman.
Once you had a pretty girl, you and her were to be wet.
Now, she's in another man's bed of fog, on the middle line
there, but I got another one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Very old friends. I know you've been selling
information to people who steal the firm's Goods in transit.
I know why did you tell him? I've already paid a deposit on a
house-wide. Resign disappear Canada,
Australia. So happy can please needs you
disappear? Mitchell.
Disappear. I might even pay your fare.
No, no, you're not going to listen to that, you know?
Well, wishes, you know, you know, he only cares about
himself trying to stop hanging with people like you in the
world. What do you think?
I'm going to get on with my own life.
He won't want you to know. Why don't you shut up and a
Janet insist that she's leaving with Tom and Hoffman begs him
not to go? And she she says you, she's
you're mad and you're ugly and yet who could?
Who could love you? Yeah, yeah.
And he's absolutely crushed. Mmm, we stock still, he does, he
does not move, he just just takes it.
No, and we see next thing we see the fourth named person in the
Cars For the First Time. Tom's overbearing.
Which I, which Hoffman and whole from the first year, earlier on
Disney go, like, when you're married to Tom's mother and his
mother's obvious is mother knows all about Tom's Shenanigans and
you and and the implication is that it was going so.
Well, she says, at one point, doesn't she?
Yeah, the implication is that if Tom's going to flee with Janet
abroad, then the mothers going as well.
Yeah. And Janet says he should go to
the police. And own up and you know you
might do a year and choki but it would be weird that, you know,
and she said you know, and she'll she'll say that, you
know, she was in on it as well and you know, so she's not going
to get off scot-free but then his mother quite pointedly
suggests that Janet go back to Hoffman and try and reason with
him and Janet says, well Tom, you know, would you like me to
go back and talk to him again and Tom's just, he doesn't.
He's, he wants whatever it takes, whatever he's quiet.
You do is what? He says he goes.
What does it matter? You've been with them all week.
Very, very sharply and very angrily.
Yeah, yeah, not surprising. It's yeah, yeah, yeah.
He seems more concerned about the older.
The older been caught on the cigarettes.
Yeah, yeah. It's she looks very hurt.
She leaves and then she's out on the street and she she decides
upon a call. Cause of action Yugi.
She heads off. And invariably she turns up at
Hoffman's, again, we do. But we haven't, we have a shot
of Hoffman in between there, don't we?
Where he's just sad. We do in this flat all alone and
apparently there's two versions of that scene, the scene that
you see, in the movie, where it's just him Sat, and there is
also a version where he cries film two versions, right?
Alvin David said, okay, Peter we're going to do this scene and
he Peta was like okay yeah but I want to cry I want to cry in
this scene and album rock or said to him.
You know, it's better. If it's that you it's better for
the ought. It's not very interesting for
the audience for you to see you cry.
It's better if the audience cry seeing you.
So it's kind of like you want to cry but you hold it back.
Yeah. And apparently solid said that's
one of the best pieces of Direction he'd ever ever.
Been given but he did send cyst on doing a version where cried?
Yeah. And then again, there's these
all these all techniques of crying.
You know, you can either. Again, all tricks of the trade,
you know, you can either pinch yourself or you can put a
solution in your eyes that can induce tears.
Oh. Oh, you could get David Lodge to
kick him in the nuts. Yeah so you've got the drops.
You've got the nip? You've got a David Lodge option.
Yeah. He said no to eat said no to all
three and said, like I'm just going to naturally naturally cry
and apparently they started filming and again you've only
got 10 minutes of film in the can and they start rolling and
you're getting towards a 10 minutes and there are no tears
coming from sellers whatsoever, the point, the cameraman's
event, like, you know, God should we teach we you know, is
he almost there, you know, again, sellers temporary.
I temperamental Man, again they go a couple of the crew of kind
of pointed out that EV one of those chaps that old Peter.
Could you move forward for the lighting?
And he'd say, no no, I'm staying where I am so you'd have to
recheck the scene? Yes forward.
He was standing awkward further. Yeah, y'all got extremely
awkward Burger but so yeah. So they were getting to almost
to the end of the can And the tears did come, but apparently,
when they were adjusting the lights, the focuser had done it
the wrong way. Instead of getting darker, he
started going lighter. How's it going?
It, he starts crying. He's getting lighter and lighter
and lighter. So after they filmed it, they
turns he goes like, alright, you've done it.
You've done it the wrong way. We were meant to go darker, not
like that dude. Again, I'm not going to get him
to do it again. Fellas got his little ego moment
but that's not the version that we see in the film.
I'd love to wish that I'd been a deleted scene on the other
Blu-ray, but yeah, pretty much long gone.
And yeah, so Janet turns up at his flat and yeah, he's
delighted to see he's obviously feeling virtually suicide or
slumped in the chair until yeah till she arrives.
She looks very hopeful and she looked him in the eyes and she
says, can I give up work and have piano lessons and Etc.
Etc. And he said, yes.
And she says, can you kiss me now, please?
And he kind of visibly melts, isn't he?
Hmm. And then she says, can I go to
bed now? Because I'm tired.
Mmm, and he says they come over quick mr.
Welcome home. See if I'm wrong.
It's nice pretending. It may soon be my next time.
That's the film. Now, that's a happy ending.
Yeah, the door slowly closes. Yeah.
And once again to I think Roger Lewis highly implies and then
Emergency. A him to some extent with the
performance with her Antony Hopkins is Hannibal Lecter.
Well yeah yeah well kind of interesting you mentioned the
collector because the collector this film and again it's a bit
like a sort of again. Did The Other Extreme is Buffalo
Bill and Silence of the Lambs. Yeah.
It's an it's an unexpected
ending in a way but I suppose that's the only ending If you
think about it, that it could really have other other than she
goes off with tommen, marries him.
Yeah, and Hoffman. Just gets drunk.
And what again in the play, he again, I don't think this is in
the TV play all the film, but in the play in Dublin, he actually
just about to commit suicide before she comes back in.
Right? Is it, is it sending the right
message? Patrick do you think?
Dude, took a good two? Quota album Rock Mafia is.
Very Politically Incorrect. Yeah.
It's it's a very it's very much of its time, you know?
It's a film that I would, I would not exactly recommend the
people I, you know, I don't think it's, I don't think it's a
minute missing Masterpiece. It's not a date movie.
Yeah. It's certainly not add a movie.
It's not a missing Masterpiece so of that sort.
But it's, it's a very strange story told.
Well, yeah, and performed. Well, And yeah, I but again you
couldn't do it today. I don't know not unless he
changed the ending quite dramatic.
Yeah. I think, I think the ending.
It's a very, very dark film with a happy ending.
Yeah. We're the bad guy.
Yeah. Since the bad guy wins?
Yeah. And again again it you do.
You know, we don't know. We don't learn really anything
about Tom except that he smuggled a couple.
He's And part of the cigarettes. Cigarette heists.
Yeah, but even that mean he's just the Middle East, the middle
man who's been passing information.
He hasn't been doing it themselves.
Let's say, but then he's got, he's got this Mother's mother
who has got far too much influence over him.
Clearly. Mmm.
And again, it's a very typical sort of 1960s, 1970s sort of
Comedy mother. Yeah.
Expecting a Handler Peggy mouth, but the fact that he was quite
happy for her to go back to Half Men.
Yeah rather than say Over My Dead Body.
Hmm. Well what if Yak is again I
think the main focus comes about getting off the hook.
Yeah. When she says that lying, do you
want me to go back to him? Hmm.
You know, it's a double meaning, you know, doot-doot resin.
Do you want to go back to him? Talk about the cigarettes.
She's saying, do you want me to go back to him as in go back to
that life? That India during the last week.
Yeah, it's an interesting film. I would I enjoyed it as much as
you can enjoy a film where you've got a terrible
misogynist. Yeah.
Dropping witty epigrams on of the shop.
Robbing his quotes of cooked of wisdom, like you say it's not a
film. You'd recommend it, certainly
not if, if you were, if you were to say to a group of school
children, Hey, would you like to watch a Peter Sellers film?
I'd skip ad stick on and then I return of the Pink Panther.
I wouldn't say again. I think it's, it's certainly a
film for I'd say, like, sellers completists.
Yeah, I think it's interesting in terms of his career, like,
where it was at that time and again, it's falls into that
category of Peter Sellers movies.
That, as I said, the Tiger If you again, if you want to just
sell this movie now and kind of be the book, the film, The Star,
never want you to see the poster for this film.
It's implies it implies that it's going to be a lot raunchier
than it is. In the post, the main poster
which is the one you kind of see being used in different
territories, is this image of sellers looking very for Lon and
the image of Sinéad Cusack, push pulling up her dress Dress.
Yeah. And again that's the image that
is kind of sold on it. You kind of gave that this up as
a poster, you would think this was, you know?
And again, you have Peter Sellers, you have got Sinéad
Cusack, is the 1970s, you could be mistaken thinking, this is a
precursor to the confessions of the adventure movie, but or it
was just or yeah, it was just one of those films from around
this period, that had gratuitous nudity in it.
Like, yeah, exactly. It.
And even then just to sell it. The seller than that way.
You do your your again, as you said, you got Peter Comic actor,
You Think You're Expecting accommodate it's not really a
comedy again to sell it with that.
The maybe some nudity, there's no nudity.
And that's right. Exactly.
You're going to be disappointed about that.
You can ask for a refund. Yeah yeah it would be a nice
companion piece. As I mentioned, we've mentioned
before the collector by the Wyler adaptation of John fowles
novel which is Terence Stamp and Samantha eggar yes Matt bag.
Yeah. The kind of more the back at the
back of tennis balls head. Oh, that's that's right.
That's right. Forgotten a originally casted,
the boyfriend and all his scenes are value, asiya.
Got the oldest equality, policies are cut out, except for
one scene in the bar where you can see the back of can of
course head. Yeah.
Right. Okay.
So that's a that's a great film as well but again, not a date
film. Not a date.
But well Patrick listen, it's been really.
It's been a revelation speaking with you obviously.
I see you. And I never met before this the
first time we've met, but it's been brilliant.
Well, face somewhat. Honestly, this has been an
absolute pleasure. Thank you, still great salad,
then. Great.
Thanks again to Patrick and thank you for listening.
I'll be back next week with another show and until then
enjoy the weather. See you soon?
Bye.