Please Sir! (film)

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Please Sir!
"Please Sir" (1971).jpg
UK theatrical poster
Directed byMark Stuart
Written byJohn Esmonde
Bob Larbey
Produced byLeslie Grade
Andrew Mitchell
StarringJohn Alderton
Deryck Guyler
Noel Howlett
Joan Sanderson
CinematographyWilkie Cooper
Edited byRichard Best
Music byMike Vickers
Production
company
L.W.I. Productions
Distributed byRank Organisation
Release date
  • 10 September 1971 (1971-09-10)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Please Sir! is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Mark Stuart and starring John Alderton, Deryck Guyler and Carol Hawkins. It is a spin-off from the ITV television series of the same name which ran from 1968 to 1972.[1][2]

The film was shot at Pinewood Studios and on location in London in Primrose Hill and Willesden. The country park scenes were shot at Black Park, close to Pinewood in Buckinghamshire. Produced by L.W.I. Productions, it was released by the Rank Organisation on 10 September 1971.

Plot[]

Mr. Hedges, the somewhat naive and idealistic teacher of the rebellious Class 5C of Fenn Street School lobbies to have his class allowed on the annual school camping trip despite opposition from the head teacher Mr. Cromwell, the fastidious and officious school caretaker Mr. Potter, snobbish teacher Miss Ewell and the world-weary Mr. Price. Eventually (with Mr. Hedges having won the hearts and minds of Mr. Cromwell and Miss Ewell with a speech about giving Class 5C a helping hand with the benefits of the trip to the countryside) Class 5C get to go on the trip - providing Mr. Hedges comes along to supervise his unruly class.

Once on the camping trip Mr. Hedges pursues Penny Wheeler, a local part-time barmaid, and the class indulge in their usual activities, eg. Dennis relishes the clean air and rural surroundings and befriends a gypsy boy named Nobbler. Meanwhile 5c engage in a feud with stereotypical upper-class pupils from the posh Boulters School, which is resolved after a false rape allegation from Sharon. A case of stolen money is resolved through Mr. Hedges trusting the class. At the final dance Mr. Hedges is ensnared in the romantic clutches of teacher Miss Cutforth, contrary to his wishes.

The film's closing theme - La La La Lu- was written by Mike Vickers and performed by Cilla Black. Black and her manager/husband Bobby Willis claimed they had been led to believe the song would open and close the film, but it was instead used over the final scenes of the pupils dancing and then partially over the closing credits. The planned release of the single was consequently abandoned by Black, who instead used the track as the 'B Side' of her single Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight), which became her final top 10 single in the UK[3][4]

Cast[]

Reception[]

The film was one of the most popular movies of 1972 at the British box office.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ "Please Sir! (1972)". Archived from the original on 28 January 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Please Sir (1971) - Mark Stuart - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  3. ^ Black, Cilla. 'What's It All About?'. Ebury Press; New Ed edition (1 July 2004). ISBN 978-0091890353
  4. ^ "Something tells me (Something is gonna happen tonight) | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.
  5. ^ Harper, Sue (2011). British Film Culture in the 1970s: The Boundaries of Pleasure: The Boundaries of Pleasure. Edinburgh University Press. p. 270. ISBN 9780748654260.

External links[]

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