Up the Front

Up the Front is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series Up Pompeii! (the previous films being Up the Chastity Belt set in the Middle Ages which followed on from the Up Pompeii film). The plot concerns Lurk (a descendant of the slave Lurcio in Up Pompeii), a coward who is hypnotised into bravery.

Up the Front
Theatrical poster
Directed byBob Kellett
Written bySid Colin
Eddie Braben
Produced byTerry Glinwood
Ned Sherrin
Beryl Vertue
StarringFrankie Howerd
Bill Fraser
Hermione Baddeley
CinematographyTony Spratling
Edited byAl Gell
Music byPeter Greenwell
Distributed byAnglo-EMI
Release date
July 1972 UK
Running time
89 min
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£200,000[1]

Plot

Set during World War I, Lurk, a lowly servant in the household of Lord and Lady Twithampton, is hypnotised by The Great Vincento and travels to the Western Front to "save England". Lurk is inspired to bravery, and upon receiving the German master plan for the entire war, which has through an unlikely series of events been tattooed onto his posterior, is pursued across France by German intelligence.

After breaking into the British military headquarters to deliver the plans into the hands of General Burke, he is confronted by the sensuous German spy Mata Hari. After foiling Mata Hari's scheme to relieve him of the plan, a hilarious scene develops in which he is pursued by the nefarious Von Gutz and his henchmen Donner and Blitzen. Accompanied by the Can-Can, performed by the Famous Buttercup Girls, Lurk is pursued around the Allied headquarters. Finally, disguised as a tree, he is able to present the plans to General Burke, to the famous line:

General Burke: "Lurk, bend down".
Lurk: "I thought you'd never ask!"

Having successfully delivered the plans into the hands of British intelligence, Lurk receives a medal of honour and a promotion. He is therefore able to win the love of his beloved Fanny and defeat the machinations of the wicked Sgt. Major Groping.

Cast

Bob Hoskins' brief appearance in the film represents his mainstream debut.

Production

Filming started January 1972. It was the first film script from Eddie Braben, a popular television writer.[2]

Producer Ned Sherrin later recalled:

Filming the Ups was the easy side of film production. The money was there — usually just over £200,000 for a six-week schedule. There was an audience waiting for Frank. Bob Kellett knew how to handle actors and cameras. Terry Glinwood kept an eagle eye on progress and expenditure. My main role — apart from casting clever actor-friends in small parts — was to keep the visiting ‘cameo’ stars happy if Frank was fractious; and to keep him happy if they were funny. Both problems were usually solved by a congenial canteen lunch. I spent most of my time looking ahead and trying to set up future projects.[3]

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote that "the laughs come fast and furious when Howerd finds himself the recipient of the enemy's war plans--tattooed on his tush".[4] TV Guide called the film "inane nonsense".[5]

Box Office

Ned Sherrin called it "by far the least successful of the series, hastily concocted and released too soon after Chastity Belt."[6]

References
  1. Sherrin p 207
  2. "It's a happy new year for Eddie". Liverpool Echo. 1 January 1972. p. 18.
  3. Sherrin p 207-208
  4. Hal Erickson (2014). "Up-the-Front - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  5. "Up The Front Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  6. Sherrin, Ned (2006). Ned Sherrin : the autobiography. Time Warner. p. 208.
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