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Three criminals plan to break out of prison the day before their release in order to carry out a daring jewel robbery, intending to establish the perfect alibi by returning to jail afterwards. First however they must get out, a task made more difficult by a new, stricter prison officer.
CinemaSerf
Nov 2, 2023 · via TMDB
I was never an huge fan of Peter Sellers's films, but this one works quite well. Incarcerated, he is living the life of Riley with his two cellmates during Her Majesty's pleasure when their erstwhile colleague (a bit more of a substantial part for the engaging Wilfred Hyde-White) dressed as a parson arrives to pay them a spiritual visit. It's at this rendezvous that he informs "Dodger" (PS) of his plan for them to escape from prison just long enough to steal a fortune in diamonds then escape back in - for the perfect alibi! He and his pals "Jelly" (David Lodge) and "Lennie" (Bernard Cribbins) think it is all a pipe dream, especially when the rather hapless, gardening, prison governor (Maurice Denham) finds he has a new chief warden in the form of disciplinarian "Crout" (Lionel Jeffries) - a man determined to tighten things up a bit around this rather casually run jail. What now ensues is a series of fun escapades that I could easily see proving inspirational to the forthcoming BBC "Porridge" series. Jeffries and Denham provide strong support as the story, daft as it is, allows some fun characters to develop and for the writing to provide some dialogue and scenarios that raise the odd smile. Personally, I was just a little disappointed by the denouement - but as crime capers go, this is actually quite fun and is still worth a watch.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Peter Sellers
Dodger Lane
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Soapy Stevens
Maurice Denham
Governor Horatio Bennett
Irene Handl
Mrs. Price
David Lodge
Jelly Knight
Lionel Jeffries
Chief Prison Officer Sidney Crout
Liz Fraser
Ethel
Bernard Cribbins
Lennie Price
Beryl Reid
Miss Pringle
Walter Hudd
Reverend Patterson
George Woodbridge
Chief Prison Officer Jenkins
John Glyn-Jones
Lawyer
Cyril Chamberlain
Day Gate Warder
Noel Hood
Miss Prescott
Mario Fabrizi
Jones
Thorley Walters
Colonel Parkright
Myrette Morven
Miss Meakin
Andrew Downie
Garden Warder
John Wood
Captain
Robert James
Police Superintendent
Warren Mitchell
Tailor
Arthur Mullard
Fred
Ian Wilson
Milkman
John Harvey
Rockhampton Prison Governor
Johnny Vyvyan
Shorthouse
Robert Day
Minor Role (uncredited)
Olga Dickie
Woman in Pub (uncredited)
George Holdcroft
Prisoner (uncredited)
Jack May
Prison Visitor (uncredited)
Guy Standeven
Prisoner (uncredited)
Hedger Wallace
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Robert Day
Director
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FISFiC Vol. 1
2011
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
2015
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
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