Further Up the Creek (1958)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Val Guest

Writers:

Val Guest (writer)
Len Heath (writer)
(more)

Genre:

Comedy

Cast

David Tomlinson	...	Lt. Fairweather
Frankie Howerd	...	Bos'n
Shirley Eaton	...	Jane
Thora Hird	...	Mrs. Galloway
Lionel Jeffries	...	Steady Barker
Lionel Murton	...	Perkins
Sam Kydd	...	Bates
John Warren	...	Cooky
David Lodge	...	Scouse
Ian Whittaker	...	Lofty
Esma Cannon	...	Maudie
Tom Gill	...	Philippe
Jack Le White	...	Kentoni Brother
Max Day	...	Kentoni Brother
Eric Pohlmann	...	President
Michael Goodliffe	...	Lt. Commander
Wolfe Morris	...	Algeroccan Major
John Singer	...	Dispatch Rider
Larry Noble	...	Postman
Ballard Berkeley	...	Whacker Payne
Judith Furse	...	Chief Wren
Michael Ripper	...	Ticket Collector
Joe Gibbons	...	Taxi Driver
Victor Brooks	...	Policeman
Cavan Malone	...	Signalman
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Chief Yeoman
Basil Dignam	...	Flagship Commander
John Stuart	...	Admiral
Jess Conrad	...	Signalman
Patrick Holt	...	First Lieutenant
George Herbert	...	Algeroccan Officer
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	El Diabolo
Walter Hudd	...	British Consul
John Hall	...	Sea Scout
Edwin Richfield	...	Bennett
Stanley Unwin	...	Porter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Katherine Byrne	...	2nd Model (uncredited)
Amy Dalby	...	Edie (uncredited)
Mary Wilson	...	1st Model (uncredited)

Directed by
Val Guest

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Val Guest		writer
Len Heath		writer
John Warren		writer

Produced by
Henry Halstead	....	producer

Original Music by
Stanley Black

Cinematography by
Gerald Gibbs
Len Harris

Film Editing by
Bill Lenny

Art Direction by
George Provis

Makeup Department
Philip Leakey	....	makeup artist (as Phil Leaky)

Production Management
Pat Marsden	....	production manager (as Patrick Marsden)
Fred A. Swan	....	production supervisor

Sound Department
Jock May	....	sound recordist

Editorial Department
Gordon Davie	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Henry Halstead Productions (as Byron) (for)
• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1958) (UK) (theatrical)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U

Company:

Henry Halstead Productions

Movie Connections:

Follows Up the Creek (1958)

Slightly better than the original.

'Up The Creek' proved such a success that this sequel was rushed into production and in fact debuted in the same year. Val Guest remained aboard for this second voyage as did most of the supporting cast (Jeffries, Lodge etc); the only one who refused to sign on was Peter Sellers, who was busy working on 'The Mouse That Roared'. Stepping into his shoes was Frankie Howerd, who proved to be as an effective foil to top-billed David Tomlinson as Sellers was.

In many ways this sequel improves upon the original, having a faster pace and more comic incidents. Tomlinson fares better in this movie, an early scene raises the ghost of Guest's work with comic legend Will Hay, as Tomlinson's bumbling Lieutenant-Commander crosses swords with a knowledgeable Sea Cadet.

An expanded cast including Thora Hird and the very shapely Shirley Eaton (a fixture of British comedies in this period) helps to open out this movie and the sea voyage plot line takes this into different waters from the previous movie.

'Further Up The Creek' faced troubled waters when it was released, failing to match the box office performance of the first movie (partly, in Frankie's Howerd's view, because it was released too close to the original) and plans for any further on-screen voyages were scuppered. Which is a shame as it's an enjoyable little movie, well worth watching if you are in the mood for some innocent fun.