"The Galton & Simpson Playhouse" Car Along the Pass (1977)

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Director:

Vernon Lawrence

Writers:

Ray Galton (writer)
Alan Simpson (writer)

TV Series:

"The Galton & Simpson Playhouse" (1977)

Original Air Date:

17 February 1977 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom

Cast

Arthur Lowe	...	Henry Duckworth
Mona Washbourne	...	Ethel Duckworth
Anton Diffring	...	Heinz Steiner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Cazabon
Arnold Diamond
Freddie Earlle
André Maranne
Aubrey Morris
Harry Tardios
Maggie Wright	...	Frau Steiner

"We'll meet again!", "Not at these prices, you won't!"

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The first episode of 'The Galton & Simpson Playhouse', an anthology of six one-off comedy plays made by Yorkshire Television in 1977.

'Car Along The Pass' got the series off to a cracking start. Arthur Lowe is 'Henry Duckworth', a pompous British tourist on a camping holiday in Switzerland with his wife, Ethel ( Mona Washbourne ). When we first see him, he looks as though he has come straight from shooting grouse on the moors.

As their cable car glides across the Swiss Alps, he gives vent to his feelings: "This is the worst holiday I have ever had in my life...we have both spent over £18.00 each!". He starts chatting to a German couple ( Anton Diffring and Maggie Wright ). "Heinz Schtarmer of Baden-Baden!", the man introduces himself, to which the Englishman replies: "Henry Duckworth of Twickenham Twickenham!".

The car breaks down in mid-air. While they wait for the fault to be rectified, Duckworth takes command of the situation, urging everyone not to panic, but the only other to do is ( to his embarrassment ) an Englishman ( Aubrey Morris ). Henry's authority is challenged by Heinz, who claims to have flown for the Luftwaffe during the war. The Englishman disregards his superior rank on the grounds he was on the wrong side. When the suggestion is made to make the car lighter by throwing something overboard, Heinz immediately points at Duckworth...

This resembled the classic 'Hancock's Half-Hour' episode 'The Lift' in that it too featured a pompous man trapped along with a diverse group of people. Similarities between 'Duckworth' and 'Captain Mainwaring' are clear for all to see. 'The News Of The World' invited viewers to send in their suggestions as to which of the 'Playhouses' most deserved to become a series. There is no known record of the result, but I would be surprised if this did not come in top place. With 'Dad's Army' about to be demobbed, the role of 'Duckworth' seemed a natural for Lowe. Unfortunately Alan Simpson retired and any hope of a spin-off series went by the wayside. However, Roy Clarke created a not dissimilar character for his underrated B.B.C. sitcom 'Potter'.

As 'Duckworth', Lowe is an absolute joy, grumbling about everything under the sun. Washbourne does not say much but her facial expressions are great. Witness her joy at being finally rid of her nagging husband at the end ( he goes back to the cable car to locate their missing passports and gets trapped again, only this time alone ).

Funniest moment - Duckworth sharing his food supplies with the tourists. After giving a tin of spaghetti to the Italian he has nicknamed 'Mussolini', he cries "Heinz!". Hearing his name called, the German responds with: "Ja?". "Baked beans!", says Duckworth, handing him a tin. Only Lowe could make a line like that funny.

When he died in 1982, I.T.V. repeated this as a tribute. They were right to do so as it encapsulates everything that was good about the legendary actor.