The Time Of His Life (1955)

An ex-convict (Richard Hearne) is the father of the social climbing wife (Ellen Pollock) of a knighted political figure (Frederick Leister). She's told everyone her father is dead but when he's released from prison, he's sent to live with her. She promptly locks him in an upstairs room and plots to have him sent to Australia. Directed by Leslie S. Hiscott, this British farce would seem to have opportunities galore for both humorous situations as well as satire. What we get is weak slapstick. I've nothing against slapstick, in fact, I enjoy a good piece of slapstick but the movie seems to think it's funnier than it is. You know a comedy is in trouble when you have characters in the movie laughing at the slapstick thus cuing the audience, "Hey, this is funny! Why don't you laugh too?". I'm not familiar with Richard Hearne but apparently he was a popular English comic who had played the character he plays here (Mr. Pastry) on stage and TV. I'm not a fan of English comedies in general but I don't think my attitude comes into play here. It's just not very good. With Richard Wattis and Anne Smith.