The Bargee

1964
Not Rated
1h 42min

NOTE IMDb

6,2/10

546

MA NOTE

Hemel Pike is a canal-barge Casanova, aided and abetted by his illiterate cousin Ronnie. Hemel has a girl in every town along his route, and each one is intent on marriage. He is finally caught when one of the girls, Christine, falls pregnant.

Lire trailer2:55

2 Videos

33 photos

Comedy

Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueA lock-keeper entrusts his daughter with a canal Casanova, and she soon falls pregnant. He refuses to open his locks until the guilty party confesses.A lock-keeper entrusts his daughter with a canal Casanova, and she soon falls pregnant. He refuses to open his locks until the guilty party confesses.A lock-keeper entrusts his daughter with a canal Casanova, and she soon falls pregnant. He refuses to open his locks until the guilty party confesses.

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

NOTE IMDb

6,2/10

546

MA NOTE

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

Anecdotes
The narrow-boats Banstead and Bellerophon which were used in the film were built in 1936 and are still in existence (2016). Bellerophon became a horse drawn trip-boat on the River Wey and was renamed Iona. In this guise it made an appearance in the British TV soap Coronation Street (1960). Banstead continued to work for British Waterways until 1969 when it was sold to private use and after a career as camping boat and tearoom, Banstead is now fully restored to working condition and can often be seen on the Grand Union canal where it remains a minor celebrity, as many locals still remember the filming of The Bargee (1964) with fond memories.

Gaffes
When planning the journey on the Grand Union Canal, the pair agree the first night at Rickmansworth, the second at Boxmoor and the third at Apsley. Geographically, Apsley is before Boxmoor and also the two places are only a mile apart, so would not both be overnight stopping points, even if in the correct order.

Citations
[Doctor Scott has just told Joe that his daughter is pregnant]
Joe: She must have been drugged or something. She couldn't have done it by herself.
Doctor Scott: No, quite.
Joe: I'll kill him! So help me, I'll kill him! They way I've looked after her. I promised her mother I'd send her to grammar school. And now the first yob that comes along, this happens.
Doctor Scott: [trying to be reassuring] Oh come now. It may not have been the *first* one.

Bandes originales
In Party Mood
(uncredited)
Composed by Jack Strachey

Avis des utilisateurs15

Commenter

Commentaire à la une

10/10

Glad this was made?

Yes. To answer the question.

Why yes? Well it starred the wonderful acting of Harry H Corbett and Ron Barker yet - amazingly - this duo appear awkward and contrived whilst working together in this film. Harry on his own is pure screen gold.

Probably thought at the time to be marketed as a ribald comedy - it isn't. Nellie chasing a grown man with a knife down the Rickmansworth cut - followed by Eric Sykes taking snaps of the domestic- isn't very funny or laugh out loud. Dreadful. Eric Sykes playing a jolly naval Jack Tar barely amuses me but clearly had more talent in his naval than I will ever possess. Sad to see such a cameo by a great that could produce 'The Plank'.

Harry H is amazing and died tragically, far too soon. Ronnie went on to work with another Corbett in the golden years of British comedy TV. Both pure talents of gold.

The story line is as weak as the canal embankments found at the time - with the waterways on the point of extinction and about to go into decay and recession. Cuts to cuts were on the way in 60s Britain, transport water and railways destroyed by the bent bureaucrats. What a miserable sodding place England was in the swinging sixties! Perhaps the film reflects this POV, enlivened by the slap and tickle that ensured a more hopeful future Generation X. Galton and Simpson could always write well and pathos came naturally to these talented scriptwriters. So why not forgive the film lacking real joie de vivre that Genevieve and Titfield can provide? Watch it more than once and it will grow on you.

Luckily this film has preserved a happy jaunt down memory lane and possibly helped to inspire enthusiasts wishing to keep open the 200 year old waterways of industrial England.

The film would have to be on the shelf today of any self-respecting canal boats' DVD collection - alongside 'Genevieve' and 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'. It has none of the charm of those two fine films outside of the film's unique backdrop. But what a list of stars all great in their own way. Derek Nimmo, Hugh Griffith and the truly scrumptious Julie Foster. It is a remarkable film of a bygone yesteryear and those British stars - so moving. MaKEs US ALL wanna be on those boats once in your life, eh? I love it.