- Actors: Peter Sellers, David Lodge, Bernard Cribbins, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Maurice Denham
- Directors: Robert Day
- Writers: Alan Hackney, John Warren, Len Heath, Vivian Cox
- Producers: E.M. Smedley-Aston
- Classification: U
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: 30 Jun 2000
- Run Time: 78 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CK89
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,329 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
A great British crime comedy always worth another watch, Two Way Stretch is the one about the cosily imprisoned crooks who hatch a scheme to pull off a heist with a perfect alibi by breaking out of their nick, doing the job and then breaking back into the jug again to serve out their sentences. Peter Sellers, usually an eccentric support in these things, takes a rare lead as cocky mastermind Dodger Lane, confident enough to share the screen with performers who would be doing serious time if scene-stealing were an actual offence. The chief delight of the film, obvious inspiration for Blakey from On the Buses, is Lionel Jeffries' bristling, infuriated, hilariously humiliated warder Sidney Crout, forever fuming as Dodger gets away with some new scheme. Also in on the scam: Wilfrid Hyde White as a bogus clergyman of extreme unctuousness, David Lodge as the dim-witted muscle bloke, and Bernard Cribbins in the nice young man part.
The wayward plot finds room for cameos from such national institutions as Beryl Reid, Irene Handl and Liz Fraser. Director Robert Day, probably best known for the Hammer version of She, is nobody's idea of an auteur, but he puts this pacey little gem together perfectly. The British cinema has been turning out an unheralded series of wonderful caper comedies for decades, from The Lavender Hill Mob through A Fish Called Wanda to The Parole Officer; this effort--along with the follow-up The Wrong Arm of the Law--ranks among the best.
On the DVD: Two Way Stretch comes to disc in a nice print. The film is also available as part of the four-disc Peter Sellers Collection.--Kim Newman
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
To see this film is to see into a vanished world of loveable rogues, dodgy geezers and thwarted authority. An incredible robbery is planned and carried through with perfect precision....
bearing in mind that this movie is British and over 40 years old the outcome is inevitable but carries with it a superb twist ending.
Peter Sellers as Dodger Lane has the air of criminality about him; despite this being a caper film, Dodger has an undercurrent of menace and you wouldn't want to cross him. Loveable rogue he is not.
Buy this movie; it is a record of Sellers playing the type of British low life he would soon abandon for Gallic incompetence as Clouseau. It is also a movie of a type none could ever try to make again, as British as afternoon tea and equally as welcome.
bearing in mind that this movie is British and over 40 years old the outcome is inevitable but carries with it a superb twist ending.
Peter Sellers as Dodger Lane has the air of criminality about him; despite this being a caper film, Dodger has an undercurrent of menace and you wouldn't want to cross him. Loveable rogue he is not.
Buy this movie; it is a record of Sellers playing the type of British low life he would soon abandon for Gallic incompetence as Clouseau. It is also a movie of a type none could ever try to make again, as British as afternoon tea and equally as welcome.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This really very funny film was the obvious inspiration for the creation of Porridge it is so similar in many ways.
A cocky prisoner in the form of Dodger Lane, played by Peter Sellers is the forerunner to Norman Stanley Fletcher, a young thief Lennie, portrayed by Bernard Cribbins is of course Lennie Godber, they even share the same christian name and Jelly Knight is the equivelant of the various other characters such as Bunny Warren and Jock McClaran. Not forgetting of course Prison Officer Sidney Crout who is a dead ringer for the character of Mr Mackay.
A section of the film is even virtually identical to the ending of the Porridge film years later in that a group of prisoners find themselves on the outside and have to break back into jail.
Throw in Wilfred Hyde-White as the wonderfully named Soapy Stevens, organise a diamond raid while having the perfect alibi of being inside and just having one misshap after another and you have got the makings of a classic British film from a classic era.
The first time that I saw this was in 1996 via a Channel 4 transmission, my daughter had just been born and was playing up, I'd been up all night and was tired and was falling asleep when this film came on, not only did it wake me up but had me rolling on the floor in laughter, it cheered me up no end and I've never forgotten the effect that it had on me, I tracked down the video the very next day and was delighted when this DVD version appeared a few years later with vastly improved picture and sound.
The film is part of the legendary Ealing Comedy Classics and the success of this for me was the inspiration on my part to check out various others, there are some really decent ones but non are in the same league as Two Way Stretch, it is quite simply one of the funniest film that I have ever been privileged to see, and judging from my fellow reviewers maximum marks it seems as though many people think the same thing and we all can't be wrong, can we?
A cocky prisoner in the form of Dodger Lane, played by Peter Sellers is the forerunner to Norman Stanley Fletcher, a young thief Lennie, portrayed by Bernard Cribbins is of course Lennie Godber, they even share the same christian name and Jelly Knight is the equivelant of the various other characters such as Bunny Warren and Jock McClaran. Not forgetting of course Prison Officer Sidney Crout who is a dead ringer for the character of Mr Mackay.
A section of the film is even virtually identical to the ending of the Porridge film years later in that a group of prisoners find themselves on the outside and have to break back into jail.
Throw in Wilfred Hyde-White as the wonderfully named Soapy Stevens, organise a diamond raid while having the perfect alibi of being inside and just having one misshap after another and you have got the makings of a classic British film from a classic era.
The first time that I saw this was in 1996 via a Channel 4 transmission, my daughter had just been born and was playing up, I'd been up all night and was tired and was falling asleep when this film came on, not only did it wake me up but had me rolling on the floor in laughter, it cheered me up no end and I've never forgotten the effect that it had on me, I tracked down the video the very next day and was delighted when this DVD version appeared a few years later with vastly improved picture and sound.
The film is part of the legendary Ealing Comedy Classics and the success of this for me was the inspiration on my part to check out various others, there are some really decent ones but non are in the same league as Two Way Stretch, it is quite simply one of the funniest film that I have ever been privileged to see, and judging from my fellow reviewers maximum marks it seems as though many people think the same thing and we all can't be wrong, can we?
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I can quite honestly say that this and The Wrong Arm of the Law are my favourite Sellers movies with Strangelove, Mouse that Roared and I'm Alright Jack not far behind. The comedy is excellent and it's so much better than anything that comes out now.
Single lines such as "stand by your plants!" just provoke chuckling if not outright laughter and from start to finish this film entertains and that includes the ending.
I also rate Lionel Jefferies in this movie as in Wrong Arm, he is just as good.
Single lines such as "stand by your plants!" just provoke chuckling if not outright laughter and from start to finish this film entertains and that includes the ending.
I also rate Lionel Jefferies in this movie as in Wrong Arm, he is just as good.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Classic, and influential!
I used to own this on VHS and nearly wore it out. (I am shocked at the price of this on DVD!!) but its worth it. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Nick
Two Way Stretch
This is by far one of the best Sellers early comedies. the cast is first class and Lionel Jefferies' timing superb. A must for every comedfy buffs collection.
Published 16 months ago by michael powell
Two Way Stretch review
I have always thought that this film, Two Way Stretch, was the best film in which Peter Sellers was in.
The characterisation is spot on. Very funny, ten out of ten.
The characterisation is spot on. Very funny, ten out of ten.
Published 22 months ago by Dave
One of the funniest films of its generation...
...and any other for that matter!
If you wanna watch comedic genius at it's earliest best, in a thoroughly charming and hysterically funny British comedy film, then... Read more
If you wanna watch comedic genius at it's earliest best, in a thoroughly charming and hysterically funny British comedy film, then... Read more
Published on 29 May 2008 by The Legendary Lord Sword
Vintage comedy and vintage Sellers
This has to be one of my favourite comedies even though I only first saw this film in the early 90s. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2008 by KN
A great comic caper in a criminal transfer
Two-Way Stretch is the one where Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and David Lodge break out of prison to commit a robbery, then break back in to provide themselves with the perfect... Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2007 by Trevor Willsmer
Still Funny Even Today!
It is more than 45 years since I first saw this film on my local ABC Cinema. I enjoyed it tremendously then, and still do today. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2007 by E. A. Redfearn
marvellous old british comedy
Brilliant black and white Peter Sellers film from 1960. For Liz Fraser fans it's a must. Liz plays the girlfriend of Sellers. Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2005 by WhiteCrane
Pure Classic
Upon seeing this film, I guarantee any viewer will instinctively select to play again immeadiatley. This is Sellers delivering a wonderful and classically British performance. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2003 by "jonny27rico"
Two Way Stretch
A good clean film with excellent casting and scripting, common to the period of the 60's. Very funny and enteraining. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2003 by Donnie
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
