As Good As It Gets

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

As a huge fan of the "Are You Being Served?" TV series (even with all of the replacements later in the series), I was looking forward to seeing this, and in spite of some hysterically funny moments, felt a bit let down. Like some T.V. movie follow-ups to classic TV series of the 1960's, this seemed forced without its laugh track, whether or not it had been dubbed in or actually filmed in front of a live audience. In the case of "Are You Being Served?", the cast seems lonely without the laugh track behind Mrs. Slocum's constant "And I am unanimous in that!", Mr. Humphrey's screeching "I'm Free!" or Captain Peacock's stern gaze at the antics of Mr. Lucas ogling Miss Brahams. Yes, this is the original characters back, and the premise has them on vacation in a seemingly fictional Spanish country on the verge of rebellion. Why a group of people who already spend enough time together during the work week would agree to a vacation together is impossible to believe, even if you do accept all the sexual harassment going on by both male and female characters, pretty racy stuff for what us Yanks mistakenly thought about the British prior to the "Carry On!" films and this T.V. series which seems like a feature version of that which could have been called, "Carry On, Grace Brothers!".If Mr. Humphreys was effeminate in the T.V. series (yet his sexuality was often lied about although we knew...we knew...), he is downright flamboyant here, his obvious gayness out there like a British Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur. Even with that, his co-workers are all pretty accepting, even if they do tend to harmlessly tease him with cracks that today might be considered defamation. This makes this pre-political correctness era a lot more fun to observe, reminding us that we all have something to be laughed at, making me believe that the creators were simply indicating we needed to relax and not be so uptight about parodying stereotypes without being turned over to the P.C. Police.The funniest gag has to do with a pair of chattering false teeth which Mr. Lucas hides in a dummy's bathing suit causing lots of chaos and the visual of Mr. Humphreys in drag in Mrs. Slocum's robe and one of her wigs. There is a lot of innuendo and confusion as notes passed at dinner create hopes for trysts which obviously never occur yet lead to a Keystone Cop style chase sequence between Mr. Humphreys, a Spanish rebel, and even Mrs. Slocum, stunned by encountering her "look-alike" in the midst of it.You won't be bored but neither will you be enlightened either. Some of the plot twists ("Dear Sexy Knickers") are straight out of earlier episodes and the finale is outlandishly ridiculous even if it keeps with the flavor of how many of the series episodes ended.

From the days when "Artistic freedom" was more than just a meaningless phrase,"Are you being served" is deliciously low,grubby,cheap and very,very funny.It is of course a farce - a genre that is often attempted but seldom with as much success.First-rate comic actors do their familiar schtick,much-loved characters expand very satisfactorily to the big screen ,and,thirty years ago,moviegoers left the theatres with aching sides.How can that be a bad thing? Now we are living in a much more liberal society and are not allowed to laugh at anything that "They" don't think is funny and several po-faced Guardian readers appear to issue weekly dictats about what we watch on TV where sex of all persuasions is prevalent but we're not permitted to make jokes about it ,appalling violence is wrought 24/7 in our front rooms because it is "street" and we are "bourgeois" to complain about it,and language that would make a bargee blush is spouted by "stand up" comedians while their "sophisticated" audience, doubtless comprising of the rest of the readers of The Guardian,roll about in the aisles. Compared to all this,"are you being served" is,as those avatars of Englishness Mr Gilbert and Mr Sullivan once said,"a source of innocent merriment". Messrs Thornton,Inman,Bannister,mesdames Sugden and Richards,I salute you.In a world of fuel crises,Arthur Scargill,England failing to reach the World Cup finals and Scotland succeeding,the Sex Pistols and the Silver Jubilee.....you made me laugh like a drain.

This film, based on the tremendously popular "Are You Being Served" British television show that ran from 1972-85 (and still endures on American public television), falls pitifully flat. It plays like one long episode of the television series, but without the spark that earned the series its large and affectionate following.Had this film come at or near the end of the television series' original production run, we might have concluded that the writers and/or players had lost some creative energy. But it didn't. It was released in 1977, at the height of the show's popularity. After the film, the same people went back to create some of the most enjoyable and memorable episodes of the show--they were by no means washed up.The plot plods doggedly through bits recycled from the television series, including some wince-inducing cultural slurs and too much toilet/fart humour. The writers even stoop to the "walk this way" gag, which is as old as time itself. Regular viewers of the TV show will tire at the cut-and-pastedness of the script; newcomers will sit puzzled by the running gags and in-jokes that one can only "get" from the TV show.The actors, while masterful at playing to a live audience (which they did for the television series), seem off balance without the buoyance of audience response, often pausing for laughter that never comes.The aural atmosphere is either dead and silent, containing only the players' voices, or filled in by a Muzakesque musical score entirely indifferent to the events on screen. The lighting also has an unnatural spotlight quality at times. Like makeup, good lighting should look like none at all.That there is tremendous talent here, both in the players and the writers, has been well demonstrated before and after this film. But not during.

I watched this film last night on a free DVD given away with a national newspaper and i have to say my wife and i I ENJOYED IT! Yes,it has oodles of cheese and camp moments but it was fun.I love the funky,Are you being served? opening theme tune at the beginning and the movie feel picture quality.Yes,the script is dodgy but not as dodgy as the Costa Plonka in a studio with cheap sets and the pretty abrupt ending with young Mr Grace storming through the hotel wall in an armoured vehicle dressed like he has just stepped out of Dad's Army! I never really cared much for the series only having seen a few episodes so i wasn't affected by the repeat joke syndrome so i found the film really amusing.Menswear!