The Early Bird is a 1965 British comedy film directed by Robert Asher and starring Norman Wisdom. It also features Edward Chapman, Bryan Pringle, Richard Vernon, John Le Mesurier and Jerry Desmonde. It was the first Norman Wisdom film to be shot in colour. The title is taken from the expression "the early bird catches the worm".

The Early Bird
original UK Quad poster
Directed by	Robert Asher
Written by	Jack Davies Norman Wisdom
Produced by	Hugh Stewart
Starring	Norman Wisdom Edward Chapman Jerry Desmonde John Le Mesurier
Cinematography	Jack Asher
Edited by	Gerry Hambling
Music by	Ron Goodwin
Production company	The Rank Organisation
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors
Release date	30 November 1965 (1965-11-30) (London)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Synopsis

Wisdom's character works for Grimsdale's Dairy as a milkman, in competition with Consolidated Dairies, an ever-growing rival company under the management of Walter Hunter (played by Jerry Desmonde).

Much of the humour centres on classic slapstick comedy, with Norman encountering various comedic escapades. These include being dragged around Mr Hunter's garden by an errant lawnmower and using the fire brigade's high pressure hosepipes to blast firemen off their ladders, after being called to a suspected fire at Consolidated Dairies' HQ.

Cast

• Norman Wisdom as Norman Pitkin
• Edward Chapman as Mr Thomas Grimsdale
• Jerry Desmonde as Mr Walter Hunter
• Paddie O'Neil as Mrs Gladwys Hoskins
• Bryan Pringle as Austin
• Richard Vernon as Sir Roger Wedgewood
• John Le Mesurier as Colonel Foster
• Peter Jeffrey as Fire Chief
• Penny Morrell as Miss Curry
• Marjie Lawrence as Woman in negligee
• Frank Thornton as Drunken doctor
• Dandy Nichols as Woman flooded by milk
• Harry Locke as Commissionaire
• Michael Bilton as Nervous Man
• Imogen Hassall as Sir Roger's Secretary
• Tony Selby as Godfrey (uncredited)

Reception

The film was one of the 15 most popular movies at the British box office in 1966.[1] TV Guide wrote, "most of the humor is slapstick, predictable, and only vaguely amusing";[2] while Allmovie called the film a "lively British satire".[3]

References

External links

• The Early Bird at IMDb
• The Early Bird at the BFI's Screenonline
• The Early Bird at BritMovie (archived)
• The Early Bird at MTV

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