- Actors: Tony Hancock, Sylvia Syms, Ronald Fraser, Barbara Murray, John Le Mesurier
- Directors: Jeremy Summers
- Format: PAL, Black & White, Mono
- Language English
- Classification: U
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- VHS Release Date: 3 July 2000
- Run Time: 89 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CJSO
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,533 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Rebel (1961) and The Punch and Judy Man (1963) are the only two feature films made expressly as star vehicles for the great television comic Tony Hancock. The Rebel is by far the more ambitious, being in colour with Parisian locations, a large cast, and not least a supporting role for international star George Sanders. The opening rebellion against office life surely inspired The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, while references follow to Look Back in Anger (1958) and Billy Wilder's The Apartment (1960) and Some Like It Hot (1959). Hancock goes to Paris to follow his artistic muse and as he rises through the art world his naivety is taken for genius, allowing for some very funny moments and spot-on satire, which are just as relevant today as 40 years ago.
Filmed in black-and-white in Bognor Regis, The Punch and Judy Man is a more modest yet evocative portrait of life in a small coastal resort. Hancock is the titular beach entertainer who is happy to live from day to day with the affable companionship of John Le Mesurier and Hugh Lloyd. The problem is he's burdened with a socially ambitious wife, Sylvia Syms. Gentle humour comes from Hancock's frustrations as a proto-Basil Fawlty, and the film, packed with familiar British character actors, has an old-fashioned charm. It makes for an enjoyable supporting feature to The Rebel, which is undoubtedly a minor classic.
On the DVD: Tony Hancock Double Feature presents both films at 4:3 ratio. The earlier film looks decidedly cropped in several scenes, though the latter survives the reformatting largely unscathed. The Rebel's colour is faded and the image grainy, while The Punch and Judy Man generally has a much stronger black and white image. Even so, there is some flickering and print damage. The music is distorted in The Rebel but the mono sound is fine during The Punch and Judy Man. There are no extras. --Gary S Dalkin
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Received wisdom has it that Tony Hancock's feature films aren't as funny as his TV and radio shows. Maybe so, but by any standards The Rebel - with a screenplay by Hancock regulars Galton and Simpson - is still pretty damn brilliant and takes the mickey out of modern art in inspired fashion. Hancock plays a bowler-hatted commuter with a boring clerical job in the City. Secretly, though, he yearns to be an Artist, and one day he chucks it all in and goes to Paris, where he starts wearing a beret, calls everyone 'mon brave', and founds the 'Infantile School of Painting', which basically means he chucks paint around and rides bicycles through the results. Among the film's treats are Dennis Price as a Salvador Dali figure who sleeps in a fishtank, Nanette Newman as a beatnik in blue lipstick and an ahead-of-its-time 'pink triangle' joke. The story goes off the boil when it's forced to tidy up all its loose ends in the later stages, but it's a must for lovers of British comedy.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you havn't seen these two fine examples of post war british ironic comedy, then then you must buy and see them.
I don't think that my waffling on for para upon para can do justice to them . make your own mind up, you won't be dissapointed .
note a very young Olly Reed in the rebel.
I don't think that my waffling on for para upon para can do justice to them . make your own mind up, you won't be dissapointed .
note a very young Olly Reed in the rebel.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
When I'm asked, "what is your favourite film of all time". Well I find it impossible to pick one favourite, but if it would be a top ten, then The Rebel would be close to actually being the winner.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Rebel
Received in good condition. Excellent service. Would use this person again. Excellent films.
Published 20 months ago by chatterbox
Tony's the man!
The Punch and Judy Man is a superb film. This is Tony Hancock's best film. It's witty and charming. It always reminds me of a traditional fun holiday at a British seaside town full... Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2003 by F. V. L. Buliciri
Best Of British!
Some say these aren't the best quality Hancock comedies, but to be honest they are some of his best acting roles, "The Punch & Judy Man" is the weakest of the two, but it is the... Read more
Published on 18 July 2003 by DJColzz
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