This is another early film of British comedian Norman Wisdom. In "One Good Turn," Wisdom goes through one hilarious situation after another. It would be hard to contrive a plot such as this that has so many different, unrelated situations to exploit for humor. Wisdom provide riotous laughter in a telephone booth brouhaha. Then he is involved in a train fiasco. He is very impressive and hilarious when he takes wand in hand to conduct a real orchestra, tails and all. And, he is a hoot in a carnival boxing bout. There are many more crazy and funny skits.
All of this is related to Norman's duties for the Evergreen home for children, and his efforts to save the orphanage.
Wisdom has been called the British Charlie Chaplin, and some have likened him to Jerry Lewis. I think he had a persona all his own that included bits of several other comedians before him and during his time. I can see some Buster Keaton, some Lucille Ball, some Stan Laurel and some of the slapstick of the Three Stooges. I think his smaller comedy skits within his films closely resemble the hilarious hijinks that the Marx Brothers often created. But, his were on the scale of one performer compared to the Marx trio.
Movie buffs on the west side of the pond today should enjoy "One Good Turn" and other Wisdom films that so delighted our English cousins in the mid-20th century. (And that may still delight a younger generation today who watch films from the "golden" years.) Those were the days before Monte Python and the breakout of the new generation of very funny irreverent British humor.
These are films the whole family can enjoy for a night of laughter.
All of this is related to Norman's duties for the Evergreen home for children, and his efforts to save the orphanage.
Wisdom has been called the British Charlie Chaplin, and some have likened him to Jerry Lewis. I think he had a persona all his own that included bits of several other comedians before him and during his time. I can see some Buster Keaton, some Lucille Ball, some Stan Laurel and some of the slapstick of the Three Stooges. I think his smaller comedy skits within his films closely resemble the hilarious hijinks that the Marx Brothers often created. But, his were on the scale of one performer compared to the Marx trio.
Movie buffs on the west side of the pond today should enjoy "One Good Turn" and other Wisdom films that so delighted our English cousins in the mid-20th century. (And that may still delight a younger generation today who watch films from the "golden" years.) Those were the days before Monte Python and the breakout of the new generation of very funny irreverent British humor.
These are films the whole family can enjoy for a night of laughter.