The Ups and Downs of a Handyman

Last updated

The Ups and Downs of a Handyman
"The Ups and Downs of a Handyman".jpg
cover of tie-in novel
Directed byJohn Sealey
Written byDerrick Slater
John Sealey
Produced byKenneth F. Rowles
Starring Barry Stokes
Sue Lloyd
Bob Todd
CinematographyDouglas Hill
Edited byJim Atkinson
John W. Carr
Music by Vic Elms
Production
company
Distributed by Cannon Films
Release date
1976
Running time
100 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Ups and Downs of a Handyman is a 1976 British comedy film directed by John Sealey and starring Barry Stokes, Sue Lloyd and Bob Todd. [1] [2] Its alternative titles at various times have been Confessions of a Handyman, Confessions of an Odd-Job Man and The Happy Housewives. [3]

Contents

Plot

After his wife inherits a cottage in the countryside, her husband takes up a job as the local handyman, but soon becomes entangled with the women of the village.

Cast

Critical reception

The Radio Times noted "another cheap-and-cheerful sex comedy in the vein of Timothy Lea's naughty bestsellers. Barry Stokes brings a certain cheeky charm to the title role, while Gay Soper, Sue Lloyd and Valerie Leon find him plenty to do around the house. What little comedy there is comes from Benny Hill stalwart Bob Todd, as the local magistrate, and Chic Murray, as a harassed bobby. Derrick Slater's script is one long smutty gag, while John Sealey's direction is perfunctory at best." [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweeney Todd</span> Fictional serial killer barber

Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial The String of Pearls (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet Street, Todd murders his customers with a straight razor and gives their corpses to Mrs. Lovett, his partner in crime, who bakes their flesh into meat pies. The tale has been retold many times since in various media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handyman</span> Person who works in general building maintenance

A handyman, also known as a fixer, handyperson or handyworker, is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, are both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as "side work", "odd jobs" or "fix-up tasks". Specifically, these jobs could be light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet or light electric jobs such as changing a light fixture or bulb.

<i>Uncle Buck</i> 1989 film by John Hughes

Uncle Buck is a 1989 American comedy film written, directed by John Hughes, and starring John Candy and Amy Madigan with supporting roles by Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin, Gaby Hoffmann, Garrett M. Brown and Elaine Bromka. The film tells the story of a bachelor who babysits his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her younger brother and sister while the parents are away.

<i>What About Bob?</i> 1991 film directed by Frank Oz

What About Bob? is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a troubled patient who follows his self-centered psychotherapist Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss) on vacation. When Bob befriends the other members of Leo's family, the patient's problems push the doctor over the edge.

Susan Margery Jeaffreson Lloyd was an English model and actress, with numerous film and television credits. She may be best known for her long-running role as Barbara Hunter, née Brady, in the British soap opera Crossroads and Cordelia Winfield in the ITC series The Baron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Todd</span> English comedy actor

Brian Todd, known professionally as Bob Todd, was an English comedy actor, mostly known for appearing as a straight man in the sketch shows of Benny Hill and Spike Milligan. For many years, he lived in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Barry Stokes is a British actor.

Sex comedy, erotic comedy or more broadly sexual comedy is a genre in which comedy is motivated by sexual situations and love affairs. Although "sex comedy" is primarily a description of dramatic forms such as theatre and film, literary works such as those of Ovid and Chaucer may be considered sex comedies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Dorning</span>

Robert Dorning was a musician, dance band vocalist, ballet dancer and stage, film and television actor. He is known to have performed in at least 77 television and film productions between 1940 and 1988.

Gay Soper is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her performance in the musical Godspell in 1971, as well as Mme. Thenardier on the Complete Symphonic Recording of Les Misérables. She also performed all the voices for The Flumps, a famous children's TV series in Britain, and created the role of Mrs Bennett in Bernard J. Taylor's musical version of Pride and Prejudice.

<i>Up Pops the Devil</i> 1931 film

Up Pops the Devil is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy drama film directed by A. Edward Sutherland. The screenplay concerns an advertising man who quits his job to become a novelist, upsetting his wife and straining their marriage. The film was released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay is based on a 3-act play of the same name written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich; the play ran on Broadway for 148 performances from September 1930 to January 1931 at the Theatre Masque.

Helli Louise Brunchmann Jacobson, often billed as Helli Louise, was a Danish born actress who appeared in British films and television, including The Benny Hill Show, during the 1970s.

"Vitamin D" is the sixth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 7, 2009. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Elodie Keene. In the episode, glee club director Will Schuester pits the male and female club members against each other for a mash-up competition. Will's wife Terri takes a job as the school nurse to stop him becoming closer to guidance counsellor Emma Pillsbury, but is fired after giving the students performance-enhancing pseudoephedrine tablets.

<i>Irene</i> (1926 film) 1926 film

Irene is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film starring Colleen Moore, and partially shot in Technicolor. The film was directed by Alfred E. Green, produced by Moore's husband John McCormick, and based on the musical Irene written by James Montgomery with music and lyrics by Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy.

<i>Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse</i> 1978 film by Justin Cartwright

Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse is a 1978 British comedy film directed by Justin Cartwright and starring Debbie Ash, Carolyne Argyle, Beryl Reid and John Le Mesurier. It is based on a novel by Christopher Wood. The plot revolves around a new student nurse at a hospital, who attracts interest from the staff with comic consequences.

<i>Jamaica Run</i> 1953 adventure-drama film by Lewis R. Foster

Jamaica Run is a 1953 adventure-drama concerning ownership of an old estate set on the island in the Caribbean. It was directed by Lewis R. Foster and starred Ray Milland, Arlene Dahl and Wendell Corey. Much of the personnel in this movie worked on the previous year's Caribbean Gold.

<i>A Boy, a Girl and a Bike</i> 1949 British film

A Boy, a Girl and a Bike is a 1949 British romantic comedy film directed by Ralph Smart and starring John McCallum, Honor Blackman and Patrick Holt. The film's art direction was by George Provis. The film concerns the romantic escapades and adventures of a Yorkshire cycling club.

<i>Can You Keep It Up for a Week?</i> 1974 film directed by Jim Atkinson

Can You Keep It Up For A Week? is a 1974 British sex comedy film.

<i>Im Not Feeling Myself Tonight</i> 1976 British film

I'm Not Feeling Myself Tonight is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Barry Andrews, James Booth and Sally Faulkner. It was shot at Twickenham Studios.

References

  1. Mark Deming (2008). "The New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  2. Fvdb.bfi.or.uk
  3. 1 2 "Ups and Downs of a Handyman | Film review and movie reviews". Radio Times. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2014.