John Chard
Aug 2, 2015
6/10
Naked Revolt!
Please Turn Over is one of those films outside of the Carry On franchise, but one that still "bares" the early hallmarks of that series. Brought to the screen by Peter Rogers and Norman Hudis, it's adapted from the Basil Thomas play, "Book of the Month" and stars Ted Ray, Jean Kent, Julia Lockwood, Leslie Phillips and Lionel Jeffries. Plot finds Lockwood as a teenaged writer who upturns the lives of the local residents when she has a steamy novel published. The kicker being that the characters in her book appear to be based on them! Suddenly everyone is viewing everyone else in a different light.
A sort of comedic take on Peyton Place, it's a film that meets the expectations of those who are familiar with the cast and production team. Without being smutty or bawdy, it's more a gentle farce with some seamy undercurrents. The fun is mostly mined by the alternative world created by Lockwood when the townsfolk turn into adulterers and egotists. Rogers fills out the cast with performers he would come to rely on, where the likes of Joan Sims and Dilys Laye steal scenes, while Ray and Phillips turn in jolly good shows. Nice crisp B&W photography by Ted Scaife as well.
Not essential but a pleasant enough experience with a glass of Port on a Sunday afternoon. 6/10