"Bert" (Ronald Shiner) is a quick-witted wide-boy who manages to upset the formidable "Mrs. Anstey" (the Martita Hunt-esque Jean Cadell) with one of his ad campaigns. She threatens to withdraw her lucrative account leading his boss "Bouncenboy" (James Hayter) with no choice but to fire the man! Meantime, his sister is married to an eccentric aristocrat and "Lord Hurlingham" (Colin Gordon) has invented an all-powerful vacuum cleaner. "Bert" decides that his future and that of his employer could be salvaged if they can find a way to promote this new gadget whilst engaging with their irate former patron and her "Purity League"! Maybe the solution is to involve all three? Maybe "Mrs. Anstey" needs a new hoover for her manor house? Ursula Howells adds a little to the limited comedy mix as do Denis Shaw and a few scenes from Joan Simms, but for the most part this is just a showcase for Shiner and though it's not dreadful, it's all just a little too predictable and stereotypical. Standard afternoon cinema that does raise the occasional titter, but that's about all.
7 Reviews
Woeful
malcolmgsw19 July 2008
Ronnie Shiner was a big star in the 1950s particularly for ABPC>Anyone watching this film must wonder why.Every line is shouted out with lots of mugging as if he is trying to reach the people sitting at the rear of a theatre.Mind you everyone else is at it so maybe the director is to blame.The cast is actually quite decent including a very young Joan Simms pre Carry On.However even they cannot save this witless farce from inducing terminal boredom in the viewer..I defy anyone watching this film to last more than 30 minutes without loosing interest.Difficult for me to believe that i was a great fan of his and always used to go and see his films in the fifties and sixties.Thankfully i did not waste my 4/- when this load of rubbish was shown in the cinema and you should not waste your time now.
Dire Waste Of Time
boblipton16 March 2020
What a mess! This ill-formed comedy has three threads in a slubby mess. Ronald Shiner has invented a device which cleans any surface immediately and is trying to raise a hundred pounds to get it to market. Jean Cadell and her "Purity League" is against any forth of moral filth, particularly the pretty girl in the advertisement that James Hayter's advertising agency has devised for her family firm. There's also goings-on between Tonia Bern, a singer in a racy show and a member of Hayter's staff. To make sure the audience knows that this is a comedy, characters have names like 'Tarbottom' and 'Bounceboy'. It all ends in a chase in which nothing seems to be resolved, but the movie ends.
Given that R.F. Delderfield had a hand in the script, and the cast includes actors like Joan Sims, it seems astonishing that not only is this an ill-spirited and unfunny effort, but that it was released at all. It's an early example of the sort of mildly racy comedies best remembered from the CARRY ON series. However, this sort of sniggering, chaos lacks even the well-formed burlesque humor of that comparatively distinguished series
Given that R.F. Delderfield had a hand in the script, and the cast includes actors like Joan Sims, it seems astonishing that not only is this an ill-spirited and unfunny effort, but that it was released at all. It's an early example of the sort of mildly racy comedies best remembered from the CARRY ON series. However, this sort of sniggering, chaos lacks even the well-formed burlesque humor of that comparatively distinguished series
Don't waste your time watching this rubbish!
geoffm6029520 July 2019
A very unfunny film with lots of shouting and bellowing from the film's main star, Ronald Shiner, who for some odd reason seems to have been popular with comedy film goers in the 40' and 50's. Lots of silly, end of pier, third rate slap - stick antics, together with a crass storyline, and painfully contrived situations, makes this film a total dud! Watch out for the very cheesy dance sequences and the one song which was sleep inducing! Sorry, but after ten minutes into watching this awful film, I lost interest!
The Pits.
brogmiller7 April 2020
What a pity one cannot award certain films a 'minus'. This has to be one of the most egregious, tasteless and utterly worthless films ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting public. Should there be a Circle of Hell reserved for fifth-rate directors then I have little doubt that David Paltenghi resides there. A previous reviewer has seen fit to give this pile of tripe a '7'. He has obviously derived a perverse pleasure from playing Devil's Advocate!
Entertaining movie
robertcrewdson15 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I took up the challenge of the previous reviewer, and not only watched it more than 30 minsutes, but viewed the complete film 3 times so far, with the enjoyment increasing with each viewing. One man's meat is another man's poison. It's an unusual story, and while it may not top the list of Ronald Shiner's best films, it's not his worst by any means. There's a rare chance to see Jean Cadell, who was the grandmother of Simon Cadell, and Selina Cadell, who is a familiar face in the Doc Martin TV series.
For some reason, the film was not a hit with the cinema goers in the UK, and Ronald Shiner started to lose his popularity to new boy Norman Wisdom.
The film didn't reach Australia until 1958, and the press there was more enthusiastic, the 'Western Herald' of June 27th wrote: 'Ronald Shiner's many fans are in for a field day when new Eros presentation 'Keep it Clean', comes to the Wonderland Theatre next Monday. This dynamic, seasoned fun maker is at his hilarity peak as Bert Lane, a high pressure publicity - agent up to his neck in advertising campaigns for detergents, bikinis and confectionery. When a friend invents 'The Demon' cleaning device , Shiner is on to it like lightning. Money must be found to market the cleaner, so Shiner decides to get it from a Mrs Grundy-like female whose prevailing fashion is a crusade against stage nudity'.
One wonders what the original version was like, as the British Board of Film Censors ordered almost 9 minutes to be cut, so that it would qualify for a U certificate.
For some reason, the film was not a hit with the cinema goers in the UK, and Ronald Shiner started to lose his popularity to new boy Norman Wisdom.
The film didn't reach Australia until 1958, and the press there was more enthusiastic, the 'Western Herald' of June 27th wrote: 'Ronald Shiner's many fans are in for a field day when new Eros presentation 'Keep it Clean', comes to the Wonderland Theatre next Monday. This dynamic, seasoned fun maker is at his hilarity peak as Bert Lane, a high pressure publicity - agent up to his neck in advertising campaigns for detergents, bikinis and confectionery. When a friend invents 'The Demon' cleaning device , Shiner is on to it like lightning. Money must be found to market the cleaner, so Shiner decides to get it from a Mrs Grundy-like female whose prevailing fashion is a crusade against stage nudity'.
One wonders what the original version was like, as the British Board of Film Censors ordered almost 9 minutes to be cut, so that it would qualify for a U certificate.
Noisy, witless farce!
JohnHowardReid4 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Director: DAVID PALTENGHI. Screenplay: Carl Nystrom, R.F. Delderfield. Story: R.F. Delderfield. Photography: Wilkie Cooper. Film editor: John Pomeroy. Art director: John Stoll. Music composed by Edmund Crispin. Title song: Gwen Davis. Camera operator: Bernard Lewis. Production managers: Jack Martin, Jack Hicks. Assistant director: Gus Agosti. Set continuity: Vega Stewart, Angela Allen. Sound editor: Alfred Cox. Sound recording: W. Lindop. Producers: Maxwell Setton, James R. Sloan.
A Setton-Sloan Production. Not copyrighted or theatrically released in the U.S.A., but available to television through UCC Films. U.K. release through Eros: 21 May 1956. Australian release through British Empire Films: 3 October 1957 (sic). 6,773 feet. 75 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Soap promoter humors a wealthy widow by joining her clean-up-the-theatre campaign.
COMMENT: A noisy and somewhat witless farce. Still the pace is brisk and production values are quite lavish by the usually rather penny-pinching standards of the British "B". And it is nothing if not enthusiastically played. James Hayter has a delightfully characteristic role as the advertising boss (with a very attractive secretary too). There are lots of chorus girls and Tonia Bern sings a couple of breezy numbers.
Aside from its brisk pacing, the direction is routine and somewhat flat. Other credits are likewise undistinguished. All told, it adds up to just a tolerable support - for undiscriminating audiences.
A Setton-Sloan Production. Not copyrighted or theatrically released in the U.S.A., but available to television through UCC Films. U.K. release through Eros: 21 May 1956. Australian release through British Empire Films: 3 October 1957 (sic). 6,773 feet. 75 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Soap promoter humors a wealthy widow by joining her clean-up-the-theatre campaign.
COMMENT: A noisy and somewhat witless farce. Still the pace is brisk and production values are quite lavish by the usually rather penny-pinching standards of the British "B". And it is nothing if not enthusiastically played. James Hayter has a delightfully characteristic role as the advertising boss (with a very attractive secretary too). There are lots of chorus girls and Tonia Bern sings a couple of breezy numbers.
Aside from its brisk pacing, the direction is routine and somewhat flat. Other credits are likewise undistinguished. All told, it adds up to just a tolerable support - for undiscriminating audiences.
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