The Plank (1967)

Perfect cast and a good story

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

The Plank is a slap stick short featuring Eric Sykes and Tommy Cooper. Sykes wrote and directed this nearly silent short film and managed to get an all star cast. Keep you eyes peeled for Stratford Johns, Roy Castle, Jim Dale, Jimmy Tarbuck, Hattie Jacques, Graham Stark, Jimmy Edwards, John Junkin and other familiar faces of the 1960s and 1970s.Sykes and Cooper are two workmen, when one of them uses the last floorboard for heating and they go out to buy a replacement. They return to the house with the plank on top of a van, but the journey is fraught with unexpected difficulties. The short film is a series of slapstick routines involving the plank and featured guest stars.However some of the scenes do not quiet work and go on for too long such as driving around and trying to get out of the timber yard. Also the scenes with the female hitchhiker in the truck now looks distasteful.

Had found this one of the most hilarious things I had ever seen when originally viewed in the late-1960s/early-1970s and I had wondered for years why it was not shown more regularly on British TV. Finally got to see it again when it was tucked away at 11.00 pm - midnight on pre-Christmas viewing schedule. Having now re-watched it, I now know why it enjoys so few showings as it just does not cut it any more. Tommy Cooper is still hilarious (as he always was) just through his physical presence and personality and Jim Dale's appearances and the effects of these are also amusing. Otherwise, though, there is very little going for it. Most of the gags are so predictable you can see them coming miles away and the added tinned laughter others have commented on is just ghastly. The main problem, I found, though was that the TIMING was just atrocious to modern eyes. Sykes was very obviously trying to recreate ( could one say milk?) the heritage of classic stars such as Chaplin, Lloyd and, above all, Laurel & Hardy but does not come within five miles of their talent, especially the latter pair. I think any modern audience (of any age) will find more hilarity and deep belly laughs in virtually any Laurel &Hardy short than in this offering, which now really does belong in the museum of British comedy on film and is only really suitable for viewings by scholars of the genre and others like me (hence the rating) looking back on a much more innocent age and stage of their lives.

I have watched this film many times now and it still makes me laugh.the main thing i like is that it has no swearing in it....well lets be true here....there is not much talk at all.i have loved both Sykes and coopers work for many years and this is not the best but they both seem to be enjoying what they are doing.i love the film from the start with the laughter in the timber yard right up to the end as they both pull up the floor boards they just put in.you will have to see the rest to know what happens.the cast list is impressive even for today.about 20 comic names to boot.and the story is so simple that a child of 3 could get it (i know my youngest son has watched it too and has laughed) yes it is showing its age but if you just let that go you have a very good "silent?" movie that will offend nobody

I just happened to tape "The Plank" when it was last shown on British terrestrial television (BBC2 5/12/95) and I've held onto this treasure ever since! My family and I love it to bits.We are however die-hard British 50s/60s/and 70/s-silent film fans, e.g. Futtock's End/A Home of Your Own/Rhubarb Rhubarb etc.etc. One of the main appeals of it is that you don't have to listen to it-it's very easy to watch if you've got young kids doing their own thing in the room with you.(they'll look up every now and then and laugh at certain bits). There is now available a DVD of "The Plank" Uncut which comes out at 51 Min's allegedly; this must go some way to outlining it's obvious popularity. I definitely do not prefer the 70's T.V. remake of this as it is so obviously a dumbed down/going through the motions version.The original is the dog's ........! There is however an interesting angle about the re-make and that is several of the original locations have been re-visited so I habitually acknowledge them all each time I view the re-make(Is that sad or good?) Just had to write an uplifting review as the first review doesn't do this justice and is a tad unfair to me.