STIFF UPPER LIPS (1998) Rating = * out of ****** http://www.reviewfilm.com
Peter Ustinov, Prunella Scales and Sean Pertwee make complete fools of themselves in this unbelievably feeble comedy. Ostensibly a spoof on Merchant Ivory productions (particularly A Passage To India) and the English class system, it is simply dreadful. A bunch of upper class twits, the Ivorys (Scales, Georgina Cates, Samuel West and Robert Portal) wander about India, accompanied by their servant George (Pertwee). Emily Ivory (Cates) prefers Pertwee, who is a commoner, to her upper-class male companions. Since they are closet homosexuals anyway, they haven't the slightest interest in her. However, their love affair leads to trouble and dire consequnces for George.
I have a confession to make - I may have given the impression that there is a coherent plot. There is not. Instead, there is a series of desperately unfunny scenes, which don't deserve a description. The film attempts to emulate the Carry On movies, but fails miserably, since it lacks the sense of fun and cheekiness of that series. God knows what director and writer Gary Sinyor was thinking - this film is a huge step down after his promising debut (Leon the Pig Farmer) and his follow-up, Solitaire for Two.
One can't help wishing for something like Top Secret or Hot Shots! while watching Stiff Upper Lips - and any movie that makes you wish for a Charlie Sheen performance should probably left well alone.
(c) Review of Film 1999
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