Morecambe & Wise - The Intelligence Men / That Riviera Touch / The Magnificent Two [DVD]

A great buy! These three comedy films are great fun to watch. I would recommend to start with "That Riviera Touch" as it gives the best introduction to the starring duet of comedians and is also the best of all three. I think I am going to watch this one until I know the phrases by heart - good for my ability to imitate British English which is not my mother tongue, unfortunately (anybody having a clue as to where I could get a copy of the script???). My 8-year old daughter also has fun watching it, in spite of not understanding English at all (yet).
Secondly, "The Intelligence Men" is a cynical parody on James Bond clichés, so having seen the early James Bond films would increase one's capacity of appreciating that one. I found it funnier the second time I watched it. It occurs to me that I have to laugh at some of the scenes thinking about them a couple of days later (which either proves that I'm real dumb or that I'm not English or both).
Last not least, "The Magnificent Two" features what might be some real English black humour (if my anthropological analysis is right), however, it also has some scenes which smack of that kind of cheapish boulevard-press-style stereotypical "erotic" wit which was typical for the late sixtees - so that one I found a bit embarrassing at one point. However, having overcome that slight cultural shock, I find that also that third film has some very good fun scenes and given the price of the set you really should buy this box and enjoy three times a bit over 90 minutes approximately of "jolly good" English entertainment.
There is a cultural gap now between our age and the age of Morecambe and Wise - this makes them a bit of an antiquity, legendary and charmingly cranky-crotchety. One has to really adapt some to these films - the humour is of a different kind when compared to what you have today in films, this makes watching them both a bit demanding now (in spite of their obviously having been hilariously undemanding and popular for English people back in the 60ies) and a refreshing relief from the contemporary mainstream film culture.

Eric and Ernie in action are always a marvel to behold. The Intelligence Men is one of the best British films ever made.
That Riveria Touch even has the duo singing the theme!
The Magnificent Two is included here also.
I watched these films in reverse order, that way they get better and better. Undeniably, The Intelligence Men is the best, whilst The Magnificent Two is the worst.
It's always a pleasure to watch these two, regardless of the quality of the material. If they'd made more, maybe they'd have gelled a bit more (nobody mention Night Train to Murder). They do their best throughout.
This three disc boxset has practically no special features (the odd trailer here and there), but is a must have for all fans of Eric & Ernie, even if you only watch them once. (I've only rewatched The Intelligence Men, myself)

Eric and Ern are not so highly regarded for their big movie outings, but time passing and not a little nostalgia have made this trio of films shot at Pinewood in the South of France in the mid-sixties, well worth a revisit. What struck me seeing them again all these years later is how good are their production values. Eric's innocence and Ernie's beligerent confidence dovetail beautifully in a latter-day Stan and Ollie format. All three are enjoyable, but That Riviera Touch is sublime. My four kids fall about during the whole of that movie.