Well, mr. Spencer, it's like this here.
I would like you to know that I belong.
I appreciate what you said and what you're a try to do and
believe me, I don't say this lightly, I am absolutely
determined that I won't take another drop.
Not another drop. I won't touch.
I won't mr. Well I don't think you may
realize mr. Spencer, what a big sacrifice?
This may mean for mr. Quigley well Thank you, mr.
Quill. Thank you, mrs.
Exactly. We shall really have to do
something about your equipment now.
Mr. Quayle. Well, that's very nice of you
think of my problems with you physically.
I'll uh, I'll get you some poison so your rats.
Hello and welcome to goon pod in January 1957.
The goons recorded what I consider to be one of their best
ever episodes the rent collectors and on that
particular. Euler show.
They had a special guest star. It was the actor Bernard miles
and I haven't actually got official verification of this.
I'd like to think that the reason that Bernhard turned up
in this particular show, was that around this time.
He and Peter Sellers were filming, the smaller Show on
Earth which is considered to be one of the best of sellers what
we now call is black and white British period.
His early films this week, we are talking Talking about the
aforementioned smallest Show on Earth and I am joined once again
by returning guest Chris Diamond.
Chris most recently joined me to talk about the film, The Ghost
in the Noonday sun and the the the 2016 documentary film about
the making of that disaster movie, The Ghost of Peter
Sellers and Chris wanted to come along today to talk about the
smaller Show on Earth because it's a film, very dear to his
heart and and to Mine to be fair and we talked for such a long
time. We're talking probably in total
about two and a half hours that I've decided actually to chop
this into two parts. So this part this week is part
one, obviously, and naturally next week will be part 2, so
let's just drop into the conversation where me and Chris
start talking about the film. But the the the smaller to on
earth made of really, really deep bag impression on because
it's just a superb film exactly. One of his best and one of his
best performances there is another very good performance
because he's just playing he's just playing what we call Board
in more or less. Well it's the Cobblers voice
going to will, it is exactly that is and the weird thing is
because I'm watching it. I what I re-watched it the other
day was what Aaron half of it. Thoroughly enjoyable, Sunday
afternoon viewing. Okay.
Yeah, yeah. And then Hannah made loads of
notes and then I was just doing additional.
I could fly like to do additional research and among
the research and I will come back to him later.
The the book that, you know, always comes up in this podcast,
the life and death of Peter Sellers.
Roger do is eat and in that. He a couple of times, he refers
to the fact that Peter Sellers in the smaller Show on Earth has
an The neck sent. Ya.
Don't know where that comes from?
Yeah. Yeah, I do, but I like it's a
real slurp. Mmm, I mean, he's in Roger
Roger, right? He's very good at the analysis
of the character. And of this setting and so forth
and where it fits into the, the career and all that.
But that's a weird slurp, Mmm. Yeah, but yeah.
So Chris obviously Chris you you join me previously, you've been
on previously very well received double episode on on the, the
farrago that was based in the Noonday sun and and the subject
of a documentary and you suggested that you might like to
come back. Going to talk about the smallest
Show on Earth, which is, in fact, it was 66 years ago, what
three or four days ago? It was it was released 9th of
April 1957, it was long and it was during the period between
the seventh and the eighth series of the Goon show.
So and sellers was doing a lot in 57 and, you know, not just as
he was appearing on television, he was pairing on the stage, he
was touring all around and obviously making films.
Yeah, one of my favorite films of all time.
Is the 1960 film The League of gentlemen which was the same
team that made this smaller Show on Earth made the a gentleman
basil dead and Michael Ralph had a little look around, you know,
because it's a puzzle, the absorber.
I need that you can do with your Dobies, this type of film.
Mmm. It always had no idea.
No, he's made the result terrible.
Lazy cliche for All the time, not so much.
No been in the past, we're all of these funds would be lumped
together as either healing films or sealing tape or drilling ask.
Yeah. And they're not at all, because
in my mind certainly illing films are always about PC
situation that people find themselves in that they've got
to go off whether you know, it's a heist are real.
We like, but they've got to score some almost like that.
But as it films by maybe the especially way the Balton
brothers or the sort of go, It Alone, ducking of a tape Foams
are much more about characters and people in and therefore I
think they last longer because the not so attached to
situations that are hugely of Dayton.
Oh yeah. So they sort of forms of Basel
deardon was involved and are my favorites of the you You know,
type of those stones. But what I had a look around, it
doesn't seem to have a terribly High reputation puzzle.
Given what they didn't, I don't know if that's been revised,
which is which baffles me because A lot of the film's he
was involved in a stone called Classics.
Did he make to make social comment films like Sapphire?
And did you do violent please at the deed?
Yeah, yes he did. And I bet his base created in
that respect to focus and say. Is a little gym, that's almost
forgot know, the goose steps out, which was a wartime.
Hmm. Propaganda films.
Really, which starts the can credibly juvenile Peter Ustinov?
she will think, was in the Or was just about to order a just
joined the crown film, you know. And he plays like a very Junior.
Not seen. You know, we're supposed to
fight. Never been better.
The goose step 7. It's just such a great title.
But some of the other, if you look at some of the other names
that are attached in this film, there's smaller showing are it
really, isn't it? It's an extraordinary.
I mean apart from anything else. The standout one is Douglas
local. Oh yeah, there's
cinematographer. No Douglas.
Being short exceptionally well in for a film of the type, which
is not particularly High budget. It's not our I do, they get I
don't think anybody at the time would have thought were making
an important film. You know, there isn't nobody
thought the world making a David lean type film but But it looks
far better than you were dick than it has any need to if I
could put it like that. Mmm, especially the, especially
the Interiors interior of the Bijou kingdom are is fantastic.
I didn't fuck her for a sec because it's the same it looks
so utterly authentic and the lighting and it's just
fantastic. Absolutely.
It just looks so authentic. I did you think they're?
So this is banking 57. Douglas Slocum here at that
point was I think was 43 44. And then 23 years later, it
should register the lifestyle. Yeah, it's just, it's just the
most incredible. The most incredible clear soda,
so Douglas Wolk rooms of old. So it looks beautiful, obvious
one, and of course, but I was, I was going to mention the other
great credit puzzled here than I've we at least became course.
Last credit is the man who haunted himself.
Oh yeah, what you got. No.
Yeah, you'd better go. Who the car crash?
Because basil? Do you think they died in a car
crash? Don't today in a very special.
Yeah, yeah. It's very you're in the way that
the film sort of almost predicts is really creepy and a friend of
mine refectory. You, okay.
Yeah, we went to see Roger Moore who have sort of live
appearance, could defend it in the theater and hidden button.
And he talked about the man who I didn't sell was a favorite
which is a special treat. You talk to, you know we talked
about how you don't host. The kit was how audit felt you
know that that's what happened to hmm as laughter the film.
Anyway it's there must be some out there than us the in the
far-flung reaches of the the web the must be some group dedicated
to believing that there's some conspiracy or there's some I'm
sure something. Something behind all that
something connected have you. Some of the other names that we
look at. So when you look at the water
this more sure, they're sure it's cool written by joining
Goodridge and William roads. And this is a really interesting
combination. Because as you see, Basildon was
involved in, you know, all these sort of vague because he was a
Ministry of information. War type guys, as well enjoy the
Eldridge. That's it.
That's always the time will be. He did he, you know, films about
the Reconstruction of can't defend, you know, hmm, Sheffield
the city on the grow and all the sort of thing, you know,
post-war wartime. And post-war do Stop.
But will you Rose is who is from Missouri?
Yeah, I had, he wrote things. Like Guess who's coming to
dinner? She didn't do if it sounds like
a lead over. So it's because I am because I
didn't do any of this at all, worked out.
So he's been writing like huge Hollywood hats I think your team
do, he's teamed up with a journey with each deal, so if he
wrote that he wrote the ladykillers and Genevieve as
well, Why don't you go watch? Well, let's just know Genevieve
against them. Not a fan of a fan, Georgie's
has missed. I don't know, but you do is I
usually find who's almost nothing more depressing.
As I can't do that, sort of bad quality or Summit in the morning
showing of Genevieve, which was voiced Adorn you as Luca.
All right, so it's such fun. He is Genevieve and that Bloody
Larry idler harmonica music and or just little way, would you
call cater for more huffing and puffing about and is little
messed up toward outfit. Dear God, it was the opposite of
any things, like no got jobs board before be good, but one
directed by puzzled, you did wasn't Kenneth more, right?
And it's more in all his film roles.
I've seen him, and he was perpetually cross.
The irked. Well, I know shit.
I'm not sure. It was.
Yeah, move the cross. There is always befuddled.
Hmm. You know, so like if what he was
like in the first Monument, you know, the clock it was always a
sort of Plucky, little, I think Matthew Sweet describe them as
having a meeting petite his face.
Clearly was always like, all week, he was always that sort of
British y'all. I'm getting through one working
my way through it, but you did that some of his films have
been, we could find the sheriff or fracture choice of meat film.
I've seen it over Eliza sort of the he's it's a waste of time
but he's a, he's a sort of a traveling salesman for a sort of
a ironmongery frog has decided to meet Gardens ID lines up in
this waste of time. It's good Friday.
Well, here's what his wife was. His wife was another Western, of
course, wasn't she? Yes.
Well quiet. Angela,talking Carry On Carry.
Hey, but yeah. Well well well well here do you
do you like the time it had that effect you would say Kelly of
the way that Speak. Now we can use to see different
launches I take it here it was. He was sadly positive bright but
today anyway. Hmm Genevieve's, not your
already. Yeah.
However, so yeah, man, Rose is a big-time Hollywood screenwriter
from Missouri. I would be interested.
I have no idea but we're interested to know that if you
ever actually did you know like you're sort of sitting in a room
back to back titles with join. The audience should have to
describe to you what free parameters and why everybody
would run out quickly and the end of a picture up here.
Yeah, but you know, before the Lash line so L just must have
been there. I became suspect Chad, you know,
of the local color, you know, to make it authentic.
What if I said tracing about as well, as it does show the the
expectation that the film would be broad enough to some to do
well in America. But it would have to do, it
would have to be authentic enough to do well at home.
So, you make your money here. And then what you making over
there is an extra just gives it a bit more.
I'm sure that it should I sway. Well, that's what did he go yet?
Made money. That's the thing.
They're in America, it was called checks, no Gordon big.
It's terrible. Explain this big-time operators.
Oh, what was it called that? And not I mean it's a because
because because the title smaller show an F is a play on
the greatest shoulder. Yeah.
Oh God say exactly. But yeah, it's yeah.
Big-time all put in, you know. Why the change names of these
films as you see when there's a perfectly serviceable title?
Completely beats me, but not only that, the always pick
terrible terrible. Alternatives.
Sole care. One of my favorite songs.
Juggernaut yeah. You know the deck lace, though
director, Richard hardest hair bands, you know how much sleep
Roy. Clear enough?
What should have been an oscar-winning performance
everybody covered with ever grateful?
But it's called think is called Terror of the Britannic then for
America. What's wrong with chocolate not
Isn't in America. Isn't isn't no see, hijack
called for folks? As it I do I know just or just I
mean obviously it's pronounced folks but it's a double are for,
isn't it? That's his name.
That's Roger Moore. Roger Moore with.
Here's just what juice - but you know it's funny that I was just
simply click the other day. We were speculating what should
be Tarantino's tainted wives film and we decided it should be
a remake of Nazi I jerk. Yeah, which is in itself.
A spectacular phone. Mmm.
He's a cat. Loving misogynist.
It isn't he? Roger Moore and that?
Yeah yeah. Oh yeah.
He's great. Yeah, I suck.
So let's Samuel. L Jackson.
I could see him in the end. We do remake.
Yeah, Harvey Keitel is like James Mason, I don't know.
Anyway, one of the worst most egregious.
One says Like the rebel. Which is like perfect title for
the variable. Hmm behind cult film yeah.
America was was called was titled called me.
Genius girl just try out. It's just crap.
Training me leaving that aside. I don't like table operators as
yeah I should see Dreadful Dreadful tale.
Which I mean I presume means it's supposed to be an ironic
Twist on Americans will push be known for irony and ironic Twist
on them having the be small-time.
What was just embarrassing Because it is a beautiful red
fact that the the script is a, there's a couple of Comedy know,
what's the dope, what terrible about?
I think that's one. We're going to Virginia.
McKenna not the best comedy delivery in the world, my
virginity. Which is, you mean?
Kind of kept reminding me? I kept thinking of, is it
Marjorie into the manor, born the Angela Thorn character.
So very chilly, hockey sticks. Fabulous places that are just
just names to us how we can see. Geek summer camp summer.
Cameras that do something to you.
That doesn't the very name. Some beautiful name.
San Francisco. Seville Tamar Samara.
Oh mr. More about Samara.
Oh darling. I'm sorry.
But you know what? Her character.
I'm tired of just the situation. So the premise being for the
uninitiated if not, why not are a young couple fell travels and
the genuine McKenna? And I who are a natural couple
of real life. He's a struggling novelist
cheese. Hopefully coffee fucking and
they're married and they get a phone call to say that he's
inherited from his forgotten Ali.
Uncle Simon's estate the go to sloth Dora.
This is a sort of. That was quite sure where it's
made to be and it's obviously meant to be in the north
somewhere because, yeah, Francis, the will find all that
and the rest of the world of comedy in all the night sense.
But they go along and there's a big giant Swanky Cinema
actually. Found outside the Hammersmith
Apollo to give you a size of the sort of the scale over and they
get all excited having been met by the song though.
By the solicitor, a very young and very, very svelte, Leslie
Phillips. And then disabused of the fact
that that's the big Cinema because actually, they've got a
hold of to be zucchini, Mar, which is a rackety old free bag
between two real. We like Especially specially
built, special, special Bill exterior.
Yeah. Melbourne killman.
Yeah. Yeah.
It's fault about it so that it's closed and it's not needed money
for everybody, that's got a hold of this and they are mortified
and what we going to do. Okay.
So so that's the best the premise.
But I want to I want to just cycle back to you mention build
Travers. Hmm, and why I got a cool?
Yeah absolutely but not not a natural comedy actor.
I'm sure we never know that. What should we do profess to
being that? But do you, do you think you do
either? I think that's actually that as
I see that, the situation of the sort of Fish Out of Water, it
can have people. I don't think it calls for a
very Broad Comedy performance. You need to have I feel quite
ordinary even quite stayed characters for The Eccentric
characters around them to work. If everybody's crazy people then
it just becomes unrealistic because the cast of characters
otherwise at all very broad probably the characters.
Do you think you need some quite You don't you need a bit of
white bread, the true Trey and I think they'll Travers a very
good but what belt others does bring to it, which is about line
dish. We should cut help towards
thing. Is he's huge.
He's so big. I mean, I suppose after the war,
most people had, Brett went a little bit small, you'll be
there already. Historically quite small people.
Anybody who's been a secondhand shop knows that but, Did she
like knows how tiny people we're in the 30s.
I think the war comes with people and about and are not
East and the belt travels. This is like it's like the Seder
house. Yeah.
It's like the simulator on where he has to throw out three young
you know. So you think that he would have
any trouble. We could hold them under his
arms. He is and he has enormous fiscal
cliff. the court pacune and like an enormous, know what sort of
Leah night, it looks so out of place and amongst all these tiny
people and their So I mean that that itself actually I think is
another somehow leads itself to the situation because he
therefore look, so totally out of place and of course the fact
they profess have met Virginia. Fortune Jenny they profess that.
What they really want to do is travel to what to go to the,
which some are and some other kind of the, what you do, all
these exciting things because they're still young, obviously
it's the 50s to do look like they're in their 60s, but there
actually might be 22. Well, that it's like I said, in
real life in real life, anyone that doesn't know who should
know, if you listen to this, you should know this, but they went
on to appear in the film. I guess.
This is what the best known for these days if they are
remembered these days for animal rights activity.
Yes. But yeah.
We bought for the laundry. Yeah.
And that Autos one, one of the authors and attacks like a
Something to do. We wait for things.
Yeah, he's so he was 35 in this and he looks a bit if it does
look a bit 50, but he was an extraordinary character told
travels. It seems in the gutters of the
war. He was an ace Hui and dropped
into Malaya. It was honored when gate stuff.
I mean he's a proper feel bloated, You know what he'll
yeah and that's the total sense of it and they somehow gets
himself any films and of course it's big film is most famous
sort of lasting where I think just tried to save her but board
3, B, break free from his Jordy. Hmm.
I am very pleased. You know sort of is getting a
freakishly large Scottish lady who owns up, you know, under the
tutelage of hours, The Sims Look Away of ends up and the air gets
into the Melbourne Olympics with necessity for impeachment 156.
I think that's 5656. Yeah, of course.
Good morning mr. Quill.
Tom, may I introduce mr. And mrs.
Spencer, the new owners of the Biggio.
Mrs. Was actually the cashier. How do you do?
How do you do mrs. Physically mr.
Quill, the projectionists. How do you do how you do?
How do you do? It's all right.
Tom mr. Mrs. Spencer just want to meet
you. There's nothing to be nervous
about. Oh, Tom, the janitor.
All right? Yes.
Cinema attendance in Britain. Peaked.
Yeah. In 1946.
You have. It was declining in this world
client in particular in the 50s due to television as a reading
the sort of book and it said, the television with had such
widespread appeal, including ITV, which was popular with the
working classes. I always think obviously the
base definition of ITV is a portable with ad.
You know, Richard is to watch a documentary or something BBC and
he says, don't know what itv's for me, lots of source.
Nothing to worry about. Yeah.
But improved housing conditions and people will stay at home and
other things like people moving to the suburbs and there were
fewer Cinemas in the suburbs and and obviously that led to the
closure of a large Number of smaller independent Cinemas.
Yeah. And hence, we have the Bijou
kinema, which would have been as you said, what would have been
easily recognizable? Because everybody had, I mean,
this is, this was true right through to the 80s.
By the way, I'm sure it was kind of just have been in guys.
I'm sure it was everything about it.
Everybody wherever, you know, reasonable sized, Stone and
bread. At an ADD and ABC, I don't know
what Ian, which would the proper centimes?
Hmm. You know, quite big these that
we Swanky old art deco sides of your bones but you don't like
couple of screens and you know, comfy reasonably confident the
end. It will be the final standards
of its own but everywhere had its route pets and they were all
called for pets. Hmm.
And there was still some of them hanging on until the 80s but
most of them disappear that I probably have the by the time of
the Just came along, but everybody would at the time of
this film, you know, coming out 37.
I mean, I know if I'd even in the late seventies and early
eighties. I remember Cinemas in choirs go,
there was still just Clinging On like the scour.
Hmm. Hey Fatso, tried them to scour
and the were a couple of said that armors there was a to
center, a one, in the sake of sleep, which was you know the
guy Carriage Club. Hmm one and Bridge Street which
was the Coliseum. Original was a cinema that just
God knows not going, but they they they all held on well into
the 80s. Hmm.
So that you know the the the mainstream Cinema.
So the premise here is the grandest is that the surrogate
for the beg you know it's getting based on those because
you know the strands Kazoo order, please get partners.
Are you see people queuing up at the told there's only a couple
of seats individual seats. Wait, you know, and everybody
would have recognized, you know, that because if you wanted to
see the latest picture you do going to one of the Union of the
ATC. Hello.
Yeah. But if you wanted to go with the
pictures to see, something was about at the or always lace
comfortable, you could go in the local flea pit and cheaper.
So the cheaper and know, it's comfortable and this, you know,
Want to sleep with them in his bag and all that but it was you
know but so they are hmm. Hey attained when going to the
pictures was just something that it was like somebody planned.
You just wish you could all the pictures to the side.
So the setup is very is very would have been recognizable for
a long time. You know, afterwards and the
detailing, the the peas you is really great.
You know, the fact that it's a converted theater.
Yes. Spencer's.
Electric Theater, was called spindle a theater and in fact
did the, the ABC Glasgow had been the parliament Electric
Theater, all right, I do actually in the air.
Scene goes through the two holes and The Upstairs Hall was.
You can see from the outside that it was a need to know.
If you stood back, never did that for years.
But it's very obviously, a theater.
And they had a big extension, put on exit in the added
different little holes, but the main two holes, you went
upstairs and you, you sat in that you could see it was the
extension from the balcony oath, because the rake of the balcony
and then it flattened out and down stairs.
If you looked up, you can see See what it was and a lots of
places one with that. Hmm, if they weren't
purpose-built Cinemas. Yeah, so converted theater.
Again, the flea pets offered like The Bijou doesn't bother to
do any of that sort of works. That was a lot of money.
She would have stalls in the balcony.
You know, that / suckling and upper Circle.
You different places. Sex means thinking someone went
into one showing the toppings. Yeah.
Know what? Or you don't or however much it
was for the whole whole whole but without also that Instead of
a going was far less homogeneous as it Warriors as know, there
was so many different types of Cinemas that you went and
different chains, had different pictures.
Well just to cut it in didn't because I grew up in a town in
the back of Beyond. Yeah, it had one Cinema Called
st. James st.
James Theater. It was called and I can't
remember much about it, but I have memories of watching going
there to watch for five films. Maybe.
And I can tell you the film's the first film I ever saw right
was the film of all creatures. Great and small with my mother,
which I don't know how I'll do, I do hope so.
Yeah, I think I think so key. Please Robert Harvard it does.
That's my robotic creation, but good.
I must have been about longboards, ah, I must have been
about four or five, if that totally not in a basket.
Is it appropriate? Something appropriate for a
child but it's just, you know. Did you know?
I saw my first James Bond. Ever.
Oh, yeah. Which was View to a Kill and and
I saw a remember, seeing a knee or there are sort of the
pictures as well as you remember it.
You know that seen a nanny. When if you can put your old PC
of your mind, I'm sure. So bro you know the belt we have
died. You Albert Freddie, buys every
seat in Radio City so that they can watch a film or the road,
right? So he buys every Cinema Scene.
So, they can set a watch on the road that I remember.
At the time, looking right into taking, as my Uncle Ian, but
every seat she's with this is really the only people here.
The the sediment was much more of a lead, you know, smaller
Cinemas, more independent Cinemas might have shows on a
Saturday morning for kids, for example, or they would have
slightly older phones and it would be less comfortable, but
it would be cheaper. And it, you know, there was just
going to the pixels was a far different experience and there's
no show and that that's You know what if you like?
That's why I think the smaller showing there is a particularly
good because if you like films about going to the pictures it's
really one of the very best ones that there is very little other
films. Like you know, Cinema Paradiso
which is lovely and it's beautiful and it's things of God
just but think the tide of it doesn't bark another for them.
So that think that's one of the reasons that there is also
endured because A lot of a lot of people like, I think anybody,
lot of people wait films about the films.
Yeah, because it's something that they recognize.
This is something that they've taken part in.
Yeah. But let's say as another Saint.
This brings us on to contemporary themes.
Oh controversial. Controversial contemporary
themes, because the behavior of audiences, For a controversial
thing. So the smallest showing Earth
University instead of the grand. Well, I mean, you're at it, you
know, you see, because they go and see, Belen Virginia as we
call the no, hmm, they go to see.
What have you said about looks like, hmm.
I don't know why. So they go along and they have a
loop, could they see the hall and you get a sense of the size,
over the scale of it? And of course there's an
organist and they put up a slide to say, you know, you can get
Your refreshments and the game, some the idea of replacing some
wherever, but, of course, everybody's very well-behaved.
But then, back at The Bijou, People know it so well behaved,
you know, couples are snug in the back.
If we something goes wrong with the something people are cat
calling and throwing things, somebody Universe Our Fate that
somebody has to break up, people are like whispering and talking.
And of course, when the and a great sequence with the film
ends up because they creationist is drunk, we'll get to Mystic
will later but build travels tries to do it himself.
And it's Me heads, because the film's upside down people are
standing on their heads. The fourth is sort of, like,
what it does, what it does signify.
As I don't, I don't really know where what that's rolling on.
Just now as we record this as about how people behave and in
cinemas. No Theatres.
I don't know where it's come from.
I don't know why it's a period. I don't know what the point of
it as if it's not all of it, baffles me because people are
just going to behave The way they behave, that's just the way
it is. Yeah.
The the day there, the day that we're recording this or the week
that we're recording this. There's been in the news,
there's been reports of riots, I think outside was at the
Manchester Palace Theater during a balloons of The Bodyguard and
there were people singing along ironic.
Yeah. Very lustily actually sir.
Yeah sure. Well well let's just say but I
mean when I say I don't know what it is.
Come from I understand what's happening?
Why don't understand this fight? Certainly a problem now?
Who because people have behaved the way they behave in public
spaces, you know, since Robin for but, you know, performances
in Roman amphitheaters? Yeah, you know, I could imagine
a combat unit deleted scenes from Clash of the Titans but
just made it s going. I wish they would shut up when
I'm doing the seek, nothing too serious.
But But what this statement streets?
And what I think is interesting about this at this point in time
owes the attitudes of the audience are different depending
on the surroundings, it's a cheap whole, it's a bit rickety,
the seats are crap at all that sort of thing.
So they behave in a sort of more outlandish manner, hmm.
Because that's what happens. I remember a parent my personal
experience and this is all that happened to the one.
Something to say, we very rarely went to the pet shop.
When I was a kid because it was no orders.
I mean, it's brutal expensive note.
But, you know, it was just a great space always be quite
expensive in a sense. I just thought something we got
awful or, you know, when casual cinema-goers.
So my only experience of God, the pictures was going to see
major films. Like water with sorry.
Michael Caine's. I mean like that.
Yeah. You did, that's why I mentioned
it. Oh God, she will be no mercy.
Give me Dobie. Love ready and willing to go to
jail. If I guess maybe my dad to the
particular things we are. if he wanted to see a film, he
couldn't just say, Let's go with the pictures.
He would try and see him doing with.
Make it. Like he was indulging us, surely
would read as a loss. That was punched out easy.
That she's always very dad films, you know.
Okay. That's why we were so like Flash
Gordon and at the other George this dad was the textbook one.
Hmm. Oh yeah.
Like I said yeah and the other joints of his dad.
So So we're very, really way to just buy your body films,
jumping just fellow fellow film. Yeah, except one Saturday
morning, I don't know why just to get it out of the house and
fifty Pence was placed into her. And and we were told to go to
the ABC and year end, because there was a showing in the
Saturday morning of a film was against that house and we will
love you rendered. Associated was good, but it was
a fair trade for, by the way. Three kids at the youngest of
whom know, maybe my sister was there.
Beset with me and my brother with a being like 10 15, maybe,
mmm. And we walked about three miles
and they the ABC, even though it is an ABC, the ABC rear end was
the was like a fully pet. It was a converted fear that it
still had the balcony and all that.
And it was a kid showing on a Saturday morning of Rocky 4 and
it was Bedlam right? Was light.
It was like The, it was like the ceiling grimwood's, bro.
Yeah, it was just and I was like, appalled.
It's like a tiny bulbs else is that just thought everybody
would get into trouble? I don't know who I thought would
get everybody at the trouble because in time had to have been
like, that have had tea kettle, everybody will write or it's
like 600 kids, like climbing the walls throwing popcorn claiming
over the stairs and the only paid any attention to the
screen. The actual fight happened.
Yeah, at the end. Yeah.
And what do you know? Even with that Paul gets killed
earlier on spoilers but when you fights drag with the edge there
was like massive cheales run, one of the other and all that
sort of thing. And then we all came sort of
blinking into the light afterwards.
Covered and popcorn at least gets a hot dog to wait from Kia
Ora Like totally baffled by what just happened.
So, anyway, the point being People behave in different ways
depending on the circumstances, welcome to the world.
Yeah, yeah and I'm sure don't tell me that there haven't been
opting performances of musicals where people have been happily
sentencing along to them. Why else would you call?
Frankly are anyway, It just seems to train the purpose.
This current Obsession seems to chain with the themes and the
small. The sure enough I film as you
see from 66 years ago. Well, and also because one of
the things you mentioned, you know, the D the film was upside
down at one point. It was going backwards.
It was sped up. Yeah but but there's also the
fact that the the kinema is built on a railway line
Whatever. Whenever the sir 120 goes past.
It causes the fixtures and fittings to Rattle guys is of
referred to rattled shake and and the audience kind of
incorporated into the film that they're watching, don't they?
It sort of early early sense around?
Yeah, it's fantastic. Is what I love is.
They Don't Really overtly, see that they've tried to do this,
it would have been really fun. If there was a little scene, if
we have attained the film You know what those deliberately
because with the watching the audience are watching the screen
and the train is coming, and then the trade, you know, the
trees actually cooking. So it's a waste on the train's
coming. Yeah.
Through the through the days at the train arrives at the
platform at the audience or start clapping and cheering.
Yeah. Is this like only one Dia?
This is amazing. I've been in of course the call.
Would you bet come When the train stops because the the well
it's what lets, you know, there's a platform so that gets
a lot of. But then, of course later on,
when those are desert picture history of Hill Valley, the
merciful god the the they put on the heating, he gets great tops
of the royal suite gobs. So you the, there's a lot that
there's it's just a lovely little little thing about how
they're because, of course, this is all part of the painless
again to get back to the premise, which shows They have
to try and make the kingdom, our work in a, in some way to get
the major cinema nearby to buy it.
Yeah. Because they want to knock it
down to build a car park or something.
So, that's the, that's the premise so built rather than his
wife live inherited. This little dilapidated
crumbling Cinema. Yeah, and the told by Leslie
Phillips, this is the solicitor said before he I declare unto
Simon had been offered 5,000 pounds By Your Man.
The bluff you auctioning, who's it wasn't that hard Coast Guard?
Cutter Castle, Francis will be great.
Francis roof. Yeah, who will come back to you?
But he's the owner of the Grand and he'd offered Simon 5,000
pounds to sell the Bijou to him, so that he could build a
counterpart. And, and by the way, that's just
short short in today's money. That's just short of hundred
thousand pounds. Yeah.
So Wilson, Bill McKenna with McKenna Bill.
Travers, is that like the Spice Girls?
Name for them as a couple. I'll make it either.
So he says, he thinks we can make 100 grand out of this.
This is, this is great. So they go to to see Hardcastle,
Hardcastle, who's a very Sentimental Man.
He likes it. He likes to mention that once or
twice, the offer has dropped as drop-down first. £50.
I'm prepared to consider your offer, very seriously, yet, all
of us terminal and what are you talking about?
Whoa, your offer of 5,000 pounds, five thousand pounds.
5000 Bauer who is a great when your husband just like is great.
Was a going concern then. Have you seen it now loud?
No, I'm only offering you 500 pounds and that's a good deal
more than the old flea pits were if I measure up mr.
Hardcastle. An offer of 500 pounds is quite
out of the question for my cloud but there are deaths.
These 750 750. Well, well, alright, everyone
knows I'm a Sentimental Man on the like, told Simon 750 dead,
but not a penny more. I'm sorry, mr.
Hardcastle. I didn't mean that figure to be
taken as one which might plant will be prepared to accept.
No, that's the figure. I'm prepared to offer 750 and no
more so they'd say they get moved I think Leslie Phillips
comes up this plot to to try and convince Hardcastle that they're
going to try and do it up. To, to run it as a going
concern. Yeah.
So the, he upped his offer and they also have to make sure that
the staff believe it, and this is where I think the point that
we are introduced to the staff. Yeah, there's a splendid scene.
We are are there. They're brought to the do with
Jenny brought to the the doors of the column and enter.
Just the start and we just sort of presented to you.
There's like light up as if you know the weight that you pay -
not arrived. Yeah.
And it's Margaret Rutherford as mrs.
Physically a great name. Peter Sellers are bad here.
As a sequel, rejectionist and better than males.
I don't think I think it was just bigger than my wish at the
time. I don't think he was so better
than a plain. Not sure wait till later Lord my
own as Autumn the caretaker. Yeah.
And there are the properly greatest Masters physically is
Jason jatin, jit beads and she's a film morning for Uncle Simon.
Because, you know, there's a suggestion that they had been a
bit more than just employee and employer know quilt is, despite
logical is the mistake of a northern accent is just playing
the probably the most live version will ever have seen.
Of William meet cobblers. Yeah.
The the shuffle, the voice, the the repetition, the talking
under his breath, you know, it's all their equipment.
I'm explaining to him about the rats, my equipments more
important in your life and he's sort of form.
And at the time we would have been 32, I'm sorry, one, perhaps
it was being filmed yet. He really Sales being an older
guy, he does. He really does this and it's
less to do with the makeup, which is minimal.
He's got some talcum powder and is here.
Yeah, yeah. And I suppose a bit of makeup,
but it's all with the posture and the, the the who did the,
the who dies and the slump is just it's a completely inhabits.
The can I do these are terrible cliches to say about the way.
A sailor's what? But you really inhabits the
character. It just doesn't look like you
can say love. He is a sequel.
Yeah but actually the same time. Better males is is also
absolutely fantastic. I mean Margaret Oliver Queen
Margaret Rutherford. We love Margaret Rutherford,
she's fantastic and she's great to be in there she is but that's
what she is. Well I think bird miles the same
year. I think it was the ft7.
It might have been 58 that The Man Who Knew Too Much.
Comes out. All right, right, there are
Hitchcock's the Remake Hitchcock's remake of his own
film. Yeah, and it was certainly
around this time and bed and Miles was one of the key cast in
that film and any, he looks because he was a lot younger
than only Tom Welch was just going to say because he's all
about 50. But he's, I mean, he completely
sells the idea, you know that That's a terrible thing to say
about a bit the elderly, but the frustration of seeing something
and it, not gate through and then the repeated by P and all
that sort of thing. Yeah, he captures that
absolutely perfectly. He has the terrible Lord, say of
teeth. They don't quite fit, he has
that sound of I'll fitting dentures, you know, they hear
that the shambling sort of a walk or teat.
Mmm. It's just extraordinary.
It's like it reminds me a lot when I was looking at.
It reminded me a lot of love week.
Yes I do wonder. It made me wonder about.
Yeah. Wonder if the Camry to capital
of what kind of that the you know the sort of you know that
you know the true and under bolt Keaton are not offer you that
and I just saw everything it's just the wake of.
Anyway he's Stated, he wants his he wants at you.
He wants a Commissioners uniform, like they're having the
ground. That's all he wants to make his
life. Perfect.
Did, by the way, Bernhard miles plays.
The the same kind of aged character.
Six years later, in heavens above, but the, yes, the
difference being that, he's a right bastard.
Yeah. And so absolutely yeah, yeah
everybody. Well, heavens above is an
interesting comparison to draw. because, at this sort of period
of a, you know, the Black and White Years Of Sailors with
servers can The the smallest you want the office entirely
sympathetic? You know every Bill built a
project on your McKenna are actually for quite Porsche live.
Only be quite polished, you know.
They do too. They don't look like the dog.
Many roads. You know, but the quit, but for
all that, they're not that terrible sort of a bully hockey
sticks, kind of, you know, take what you really could care less.
She is, she is a bit, she is a bit, what she is.
She is a bit, but, you know, I'd like she scratches with belching
my Be all right. Yeah, yeah, I know.
But, you know, all of the characters even Hardcastle was
just silly. Yeah.
You know, even though the pill off a plain nasty trick.
Hmm. Later on.
Well, you know, it's it's all very Broad and I don't mean
brought in a derogatory or a pejorative sense.
It's it's a fool. Lord comedy is what I'm trying
to see. It says there's a bit of pee
Thorson it but, you know, your when you get to other films,
however, we care Well, I'm already checked for example, has
its message. Yeah, Bolton Brothers Heavens.
You have bought three brothers, quite but heavens above is a
really Problematic film in a lot of ways because there are so
many really nasty characters. And yeah, yeah, almost everybody
is awful. And I know that supposedly, you
know, kind of maybe that's going to be the point because the
Reverend Smallwood is so innocent and unworldly and is so
pure, and I sort of Auto Chauncey Gardiner, get away
because I can see there's I think there's quite a lot of The
reverence for would then Chauncey Gardiner.
Yeah, but the people who revolve around them are almost
uniformly, terrible. You know, the very different
degrees of Comedy like Eric Sykes and barium carbons family.
I'm just terrible. Let me watch the heavens above
as you know, recently and watch it with some friends.
And a couple of my friends commented, one of them said till
he said, he said, if heavens above was a drama rather than a
comedy, Peter Sellers wouldn't have had to change his
performance at all. No, I've also absolutely true.
Yeah. And you see why do I?
Yeah, I don't think very many people would have had to either
I think you have a job of those prices problematic, in the sense
that it's only a comedy because you've told us, hmm, because
what happens to everybody is pretty, it's pretty awful, but
there are some fun. Obviously, there's a lot of fun
stuff in it. I think that I let someone,
because that excites his performances as is great, Steve,
Steve Marriott, and that as well.
Now, the three in one in whose name your life Jack, I had to do
something for me dead. I see.
Well, we were just having a few questions.
Can you tell me what we mean by the three in one try?
Relax, mr. Jack, that is not the answer.
Sit down boy, does anybody else know?
Yes, Percy, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, good.
Now we're getting somewhere, but let Louie about see, ya, peers
and has that what he's a wonderful scene where he's
getting all the food and he's going that I'll pack up crunchy
boats apart of work and eventually you could subpoena
Speed and Ebola source. And she says the source is
something to watch. Thank you need me, but it was
able to type Food Bank when it this effect will yes
effectively. And this is what I think.
So was so interesting because you know, the premise of heavens
above is reverence more with the rights and what had been
ordered, we have named of a total orbiston parva, which is
set up as a typical English town wherever but where it's like,
you know, middle class but they reasonably comfortable, Well,
there's a big Factory that makes tranquilizers and everybody
wants their and that trickles out to the tone and there's a
big house with the rich family, the virus, the crowds, who would
this tranquilizer Factory? And there's a sort of Rogue
table types readable to be tapes or the Sonic types of suppose,
you know, the edit Barker, who's the bank manager, William
Hartnell, who's the sort of some sort of retired army type that
has some money, you know, they're all good invested and
you say, Yeah, and the HD expect the minister of the, the priest,
the Anglican priest, abused or sale as the incumbent, as the
last one, who just died. And, of course, what you tons up
from the inner city, but the Reverend Smallwood Who's been
sick by the bishop? Who is quite well, Which is the
pumpkins lgeorge Woodridge. George Woodbridge.
Almost was a joke. Seems like a mistake.
Hmm. I'd of course, the great special
Parker. Yeah, as the sort of archdeacon,
who's almost like the archdeacon in Rev. You know, because he's
very worldly. You know that you know Rave the
second one, watch that so that when it got a few years it's
sort of a sort of Simon. We brought the character whose
is the Archbishop but he's spent time zone people super yachts
and they you know, talks about, you know how it's not just the
Direction, all the sort of thing.
And and the Reverend Smallwood opens effectively basically
opens a food bank. Yeah.
And he gets all the shocks to donate food to, and people can
come and get with and you don't have to, you know, they got to
pee. Yeah.
But it's not really a food bank in the sense that it set up the
way we see it now. Because of course what happens
is, Greed takes over and people just come and give a shocker
Nutter. Yeah.
Even if they could afford it. Yeah.
Then the local Tradesmen are up in arms because nobody's buying
anything from them. And he also persuades Smallwood
also persuades. The matriarch of the sedative
family to hand over all of their money, those in the creek bank,
and they because it basically ends in a Lynch Mob.
Yeah. And it just, it just said, That
the kiosk I'd like an eggs with a small would literally being
show. Anticipate is the only thing
that the system could find for them to do is be shot in the
mood. As the, as the bishop of hotels.
We shouldn't we should add that. He's not made to be shorted to
the burden that he does. He needs to place of, he takes
the police of Britain's first astronaut.
He does he likes to do that. He decided to do that the first
and only acts that we see of I Umm, we don't see it but it
implied Violence by Smallwood. Hey, where are you beep?
Because he because he tied up and gagged.
Oh yesterday. Oh, that's a bit.
Yeah, yes that's about the only thinking that you does.
Yeah, no absolutely good point because because very passive all
the way through it and he does everything that contradicts the
sort of social more. He's at the time, he has a
black, their jaw with lay not stock Peters from.
Yeah. Yeah.
The Brock Peters. Yeah.
And and, and many other thing that really excites and has
trained move on to the river to the vicarage and, of course, the
but this is what. So, this is what's so
interesting about a whale you were, when they were saying to
me, see, could they make it? No, probably couldn't make it?
No, because the, the working class or under class family of
Eric sakes, who's on the panel for his cough Miriam Carlin and
the daughters, you know, that all the children, Mm-hmm.
The first thing they do is Rob everybody, blanked.
Hmm, they're already, they're already working the system in
terms of benefits and better when they move.
When were small moon moves events in the manse, A the the
comfort of these goal. They sort of feel a wee bit bad
about it is the Bolton Brothers all over because I said this
one, when I, when we talked about I'm all right, Jack.
It's like the bolting to saying, a curse on all your houses, they
absolutely the the church, The Establishment, the working class
is the under glasses, all as bad as each other.
That Arnold virtuous people in this you know small which is
like is the analogous to the income Michael.
Yeah. And I'm already Right.
Jack, you know, the end, everybody Anderson this film is
so full of Faces, by the way. It's, it's got everybody in it
apart from ironically, David logic, G Stark a bit but we've
strayed quite a distance. Yes, indeed, we have.
Okay. So listen, that's the end of
part. One of our chat and please
listen out next week for part two of my chat with with Chris
where we talk in more detail about the small Show on Earth
and we stop talking so much about heavens above.
That's that's that's a subject for another podcast.
So thank you for listening this week and please follow on
Twitter. It's at gun show, pod.
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Please rate and review as well. If you can on Apple podcasts
that would be Fab. So I will see you next week for
part two of the smallest, Show on Earth.
Bye.