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Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! is a 1974 British political themed-comedy film based on the popular "Whitehall Farce" written by Michael Pertwee, who also wrote the screenplay.[1]

Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!
Film Poster
Directed by	Bob Kellett
Written by	Michael Pertwee
Produced by	Andrew Mitchell
Starring	Brian Rix Leslie Phillips Joan Sims Joanna Lumley Katy Manning
Cinematography	Jack Atcheler
Edited by	Al Gell
Music by	Peter Greenwell
Production company	Comocroft Limited
Distributed by	The Rank Organisation (UK)
Release date	14 March 1974
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

In the film, a government minister and his best friend co-sponsor a bill against permissive behaviour in the United Kingdom. They are opposed by a group of hippies, who try to discredit them. Meanwhile the minister is trying to maintain sexual relations with two different women, while keeping his sexual life hidden from the public.

Plot summary

Sir William Mainwaring-Brown, a British Government Minister, puts forward a bill to battle filth (permissive behaviour) in the UK. However, that does not stop him having an affair with Wendy (the wife of a high-up reporter), as well as planning a one night stand with his secretary Miss Parkyn, when he discovers her boyfriend has gone away. Opponents to the bill - mainly some hippies, led by Johnny - decide to kidnap the Minister's best friend and co-sponsor of the bill, Barry Ovis, just as he is on the way to the church to marry his fiancée, Jean.

The intention is to discredit Barry Ovis by making it appear that he was involved in an orgy and therefore, remove any credibility that the Law and Order Bill might have had. Following a tip off by Edith, one of the conspirators, the police raid the hippies' flat. Thankfully (for Barry), he escapes before the police discover him and dashes back to Sir William's flat followed by Edith.

Meanwhile, the Minister is also trying to use the flat to carry on his seduction of Miss Parkyn, only for Wendy to also appear by surprise. The Minister, Barry and Jean try to keep the truth from Inspector Ruff (Who is searching for the missing Ovis), Wilfred Potts (an ancient anti-sleaze MP, who is staying temporarily in the adjoining flat) and Birdie (the Minister's wife). Not only that, but they have to try to deal with the hippies who do their utmost to discredit Mainwaring-Brown and Ovis. Naturally this causes no end of trouble.

Cast

• Brian Rix as Barry Ovis
• Leslie Phillips as Sir William Mainwaring-Brown
• Joan Sims as Lady 'Birdie' Mainwaring-Brown
• Joanna Lumley as Giselle Parkyn
• Derek Royle as Wilfred Potts
• Myra Frances as Jean
• Katy Manning as Damina
• Peter Bland as Inspector Ruff
• Anita Graham as Wendy
• Barrie Gosney as Police Sergeant
• Derek Griffiths as Johnny
• Corbet Woodall as TV newsreader
• David Battley as Country Yokel
• Gabrielle Daye as Elderly lady
• Diane Langton as Angie
• Aubrey Woods as TV chairman

Reception

Halliwell's Film Guide gave the film a negative review, saying it was a "stupefying from-the-stalls rendering of a successful stage farce; in this form it simply doesn't work".[2] Radio Times was similarly scathing, stating the film "reduces the precise timing of the double entendres, the bedroom entrances and exits and the dropped-trouser misunderstandings to the level of clumsy contrivance, which not even the slickest of players can redeem".[3]

Television

The film was spun off into a sit-com entitled Men of Affairs for ITV. Leslie Phillips was unavailable to reprise his role as William Mainwaring-Brown, so the part went to Warren Mitchell, who had found lasting fame as Alf Garnett. [4]

See also

• No Sex Please, We're British

References

External links

• Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! at IMDb

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