Porridge (1979)
Directed by Dick Clement

Film Review

Of the plethora of British sitcoms that received the movie makeover treatment in the 1970s and 80s only a handful made the transition from the small to the big screen without being either hideously dull or pitifully dimsal.  Porridge is arguably the British comedy that was most successfully made into a film, partly because it is scripted by two of Britain's best comedy writers (Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais), partly because it features some of the best comedy talent Britain has ever produced, in the guise of Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale.  Tragically, this was to be Beckinsale's swansong - he died shortly after making the film, part-way through the recording of the sitcom Bloomers.  Barker went on to become one of Britain's most highly regarded comic actors, until he gave it all up to become an unsuccessful antiques dealer.

Porridge has an obvious advantage over other sitcoms in that it naturally fits an established film genre, the prison break-out movie.  The concept is hardly original but it is mercilessly exploited to comic effect by Clement and La Frenais, who turn it on its head and make it into a 'break-in' movie, with old lags Fletcher and Godber put in the enjoyably daft position of having to smuggle themselves back into Slade Prison after being accidentally ejected from it, through the machinations of genial Harry Grout.  Admittedly, the jokes are more thinly scattered than in the classic TV series and a few have a slight whiff of political incorrectness ("show me a man who laughs at defeat and I'll show you a black chiropodist with a sense of humour"), but it's a joy to see most of the original cast again for one final helping of Porridge - and what better inducement could there be to go back and watch those priceless old episodes again?

Film Synopsis

Escaping from Slade Prison is the last thing on Norman Stanley Fletcher's mind (particularly as he is due for parole in a year's time) but this is the unintended result of his agreeing to do a favour for Harry Grout, the unofficial boss of the prison.  Grout has decreed that one of his criminal associates, a thug named Oakes, will escape from prison in the course of a convicts versus celebrities football match.  Fletcher's task is to persuade the prison governor to arrange the match, which he does by bending the ear of rookie prison warden Beal.  Everything goes as planned until Fletcher's cellmate, Lennie Godber, injures himself during the match.  Entering the changing rooms, Fletcher and Godber disturb Oakes as he prepares his getaway.  Oakes has no option but to take the other convicts with him...