It seems strangely apt that this film was shown on British television right in the middle of the British general election campaign, but that only added to its fun.
Ian Carmicheal plays the popular television personality Robert Wilcot, entered as the Conservative candidate in a local by-election, by his Mizar uncle Lord Wilcot, played as wonderfully as ever by Alistair Sim.
The Labour party candidate is Stella Stoker portrayed by the beautiful Patricia Bredin and the two have an almost instant attraction towards each other and fall hopelessly in love. This turns what is usually a bitter and unrelenting election campaign into one of the most pleasant campaigns in history. In fact when the candidates meet at the hustings they are so full of love and respect towards their political opponent they actually seem to be promoting one another as opposed to themselves.
This causes problems with the warring campaign managers played by Eric Barker and Richard Wattis, who believe elections should be fought on every front, complete with mud slinging, personal insults, sabotage and underhanded vote gaining.
They immediately call a cease fire on their personal and political differences and join forces to break up the little 'Romeo and Juliet' relationship by investigating their candidates love lives with the idea of presenting each one with a love rival.
This works to a certain extent, but there was so much room for more as would have been the case should this film have been given the full 'Carry On' treatment, it so richly deserved.
The films shining moments however seem to leave the two leads in the shade, as the audience are instead drawn towards Barker's Labourite socialist, Bert Glimmer and Richard Wattis' upper crust Tory, Harding- Pratt.
Its fun to see the two squabbling officials become good friends as they for once spend an election campaign working with one another on a common goal. They even end up on first name terms and buying each other drinks. Its humorous to see that despite their new found friendship, they always have to meet in the quietest corners of the pub and one always has to leave before the other, just in case they are seen together.
Personally united, but each knowing that their friendship is wrong.
It is this relationship rather than the love story of the candidates that becomes the focal point of the film so in many respects the movie failed, but it is still a pleasant 95 Min's to spend when you have nothing else to do.
The performances are great, especially Barker's as he plays the Peter Sellers' 'Fred Kite from I'm Alright Jack' character to perfection.
But special mention to Alistair Sim. Always funny, always watchable and always, always the highlight of any film he appeared and this is no exception.
Pleasant, Romantic, Political comedy and although not the best British comedy of the era, you could do much much worse.
Ian Carmicheal plays the popular television personality Robert Wilcot, entered as the Conservative candidate in a local by-election, by his Mizar uncle Lord Wilcot, played as wonderfully as ever by Alistair Sim.
The Labour party candidate is Stella Stoker portrayed by the beautiful Patricia Bredin and the two have an almost instant attraction towards each other and fall hopelessly in love. This turns what is usually a bitter and unrelenting election campaign into one of the most pleasant campaigns in history. In fact when the candidates meet at the hustings they are so full of love and respect towards their political opponent they actually seem to be promoting one another as opposed to themselves.
This causes problems with the warring campaign managers played by Eric Barker and Richard Wattis, who believe elections should be fought on every front, complete with mud slinging, personal insults, sabotage and underhanded vote gaining.
They immediately call a cease fire on their personal and political differences and join forces to break up the little 'Romeo and Juliet' relationship by investigating their candidates love lives with the idea of presenting each one with a love rival.
This works to a certain extent, but there was so much room for more as would have been the case should this film have been given the full 'Carry On' treatment, it so richly deserved.
The films shining moments however seem to leave the two leads in the shade, as the audience are instead drawn towards Barker's Labourite socialist, Bert Glimmer and Richard Wattis' upper crust Tory, Harding- Pratt.
Its fun to see the two squabbling officials become good friends as they for once spend an election campaign working with one another on a common goal. They even end up on first name terms and buying each other drinks. Its humorous to see that despite their new found friendship, they always have to meet in the quietest corners of the pub and one always has to leave before the other, just in case they are seen together.
Personally united, but each knowing that their friendship is wrong.
It is this relationship rather than the love story of the candidates that becomes the focal point of the film so in many respects the movie failed, but it is still a pleasant 95 Min's to spend when you have nothing else to do.
The performances are great, especially Barker's as he plays the Peter Sellers' 'Fred Kite from I'm Alright Jack' character to perfection.
But special mention to Alistair Sim. Always funny, always watchable and always, always the highlight of any film he appeared and this is no exception.
Pleasant, Romantic, Political comedy and although not the best British comedy of the era, you could do much much worse.