Sir Henry at Rawlinson End is a 1980 British film based on the eponymous character created by Vivian Stanshall (see Rawlinson End, Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (recording)). It stars Trevor Howard as Sir Henry and Stanshall himself as Henry's brother Hubert. Unusually, the film was released in sepia-toned monochrome. After a long wait, while the film obtained cult status, it was finally released on DVD in 2006. The bonuses include a commentary track with the director, Steve Roberts, as well as Sheila Reid (Aunt Florrie) and Jeremy Child (Peregrine Maynard), as well as a picture gallery, synopsis, the script of unfilmed scenes, and actor biographies.
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Sir Henry at Rawlinson End | |
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Directed by | Steve Roberts |
Written by | Vivian Stanshall and Steve Roberts |
Produced by | Tony Stratton-Smith Spencer Tandy |
Starring | Trevor Howard Patrick Magee Denise Coffey J. G. Devlin Harry Fowler Sheila Reid Jeremy Child Liz Smith |
Narrated by | Vivian Stanshall |
Cinematography | Martin Bell |
Edited by | Chris Rose |
Music by | Vivian Stanshall |
Distributed by | Digital Classics DVD |
Release date |
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Running time | 73 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
The plot of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End revolves around attempts to exorcise the ghost of Humbert, the brother of drunken aristocrat Sir Henry (Trevor Howard) who was accidentally killed in a drunken duck-shooting incident whilst escaping trouserless from an illicit tryst. It transpires that Humbert's ghost will not rest until it is supplied with replacement trousers. Until then the ghost walks the corridors of Rawlinson End, often accompanied by that of Humbert's dog Gums which has repossessed its own body, now stuffed and mounted on a trolley.
Amongst the eccentric family members, mad friends and grudgingly loyal servants involved are Hubert, Henry's other (earthworm fixated) brother, the eternally knitting Aunt Florrie, the tapeworm-obsessed Mrs. E, Lady Philippa of Staines (Liz Smith), who enjoys the odd 'small' sherry and the ever-present Old Scrotum, Sir Henry's wrinkled retainer.