I finally caught up with this star vehicle for popular drag act of the day and Irish born entertainer Danny La Rue who had been a staple on prime time TV in the 1960's and 70's, appearing on various British light entertainment shows, most notably the Good Old Days, with his likeable mix of flamboyant charm, music hall songs and double entendre comedy.
Our Miss Fred was specially written for La Rue in an era where popular TV shows were being transferred to the big screen in their own feature films as a cash in on the popularity of the Carry On films. Audiences would flock to see TV favourites like On the Buses, Steptoe & Son, Til Death Us Do Part, Dad's Army and Porridge at their local cinema. This is a welcome addition to that trend but the plot and jokes soon wear thin as La Rue's persona can only carry it so far.
Set in France in WWII La Rue's character Fred Wimbush, a Shakespearean actor sent to entertain the troops, must stay in character as a woman so he is not mistaken for a spy by the Nazi's. Taking refuge with a group of girls from a finishing school there's plenty of risque jokes, innuendo and slapstick comedy that is all good natured even if some of it may not sit well with audiences today. However acts like Hinge & Bracket, Julian Clary and Lily Savage (Paul O'Grady) continued the drag tradition with risque comedy that proved popular with audiences and with a resurgence in drag acts such as RuPaul's Drag Race this might find a renewed appreciation for La Rue who was one of the first popular female impersonators in mainstream entertainment, often being awarded British Entertainer of the Year.
It's an amusing diversion and not a bad effort to expose Danny La Rue to a wider audience who has good support from fellow British comedy actors like Lance Percival, Alfred Marks and Frances De La Tour. Written by acclaimed Irish playwright Hugh Leonard who was usually known as a dramatist than a comedy writer.
