Some Will, Some Won't
Some Will, Some Won't is a 1970 British comedy film directed by Duncan Wood, a remake of Laughter in Paradise (1951).[1] It starred an ensemble British cast, which included Michael Hordern, Ronnie Corbett, Dennis Price, Leslie Phillips and Arthur Lowe.[2] In the will of Henry Russell (Wilfrid Brambell), four family members are left £150,000 on condition they do the bizarre tasks Russell has set out for them.[3]
| Some Will, Some Won't | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) British theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Duncan Wood |
| Produced by | Giulio Zampi |
| Written by | Geoffrey Jones Lewis Schwarz |
| Based on | Laughter in Paradise screenplay by Jack Davies & Michael Pertwee |
| Starring | Ronnie Corbett Thora Hird Michael Hordern Barbara Murray Leslie Phillips |
| Music by | Howard Blake |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
| Edited by | Gerry Hambling |
Production company | Associated British Productions Ltd. Giulio Zampi Productions (as Transocean) |
| Distributed by | Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK) |
Release date | April 1970 (UK) |
Running time | 87 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
In his will, eccentric practical joker Henry Russell (Wilfrid Brambell) leaves his four relatives £150,000 each, but with stipulations designed to make each of them step completely out of character, and prove themselves as human beings. Bossy Agnes Russell (Thora Hird) must work as a maid for a month, Herbert (Ronnie Corbett) must overcome his natural shyness and rob a bank, woman chasing bachelor Simon (Leslie Philips) has to marry the first single woman he speaks to, and crime writer Denniston (Michael Hordern) is asked to commit a real life crime and be sent to jail for a month. When the four individuals report back to the executor (Noel Howlett), their lives are transformed for the better. But deceased Henry still has one more surprise up his sleeve.
Cast
- Ronnie Corbett as Herbert Russell
- Thora Hird as Agnes Russell
- Michael Hordern as Denniston Russell
- Barbara Murray as Lucille Grayson
- Leslie Phillips as Simon Russell
- Wilfrid Brambell as Henry Russell
- Dennis Price as Benson
- James Robertson Justice as Sir Charles Robson
- Sheila Steafel as Sheila Wilcott
- Eleanor Summerfield as Elizabeth Robson
- Arthur Lowe as Police Sergeant
- Harold Goodwin as Williams
- Noel Howlett as Endicott - Solicitor
- Diana King as Mrs. Craik
- Stephen Lewis as Police Constable Arthur
- Norman Mitchell as Policeman
- John Nettleton as Wagstaff
- Brian Oulton as Mr. Dale
- Frank Thornton as Hotel Manager
- David Lander as Ricci
- Claire Davenport as Blowzy Woman
- Robin Tolhurst as Lettie
- Vicki Woolf as Janine
Production and reception
Laughter in Paradise (1951) was produced by Mario Zampi and edited by his son, Giulio, who took the same role as his father on this film. An early release of Nat Cohen's Anglo-EMI, it carried over from the production schedule of the earlier Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), the studio which had made the original film.[4]
David Parkinson, a reviewer for the Radio Times, comments: "Some people really will find this comic calamity funny, but they'll be in a very small minority." While "Laughter in Paradise was a patchy, but thoroughly amiable slice of whimsy", Parkinson believes "this insipid remake" is "not only an insult to the memory of the original, but it also breaches the Trades Descriptions Act" if it is intended to be a comedy and wastes a good cast.[5]
References
- "Some Will - Some Won't (1970)".
- "Some Will, Some Won't (1970) - Duncan Wood - Cast and Crew - AllMovie".
- "Network ON AIR > Some Will, Some Won't".
- Moody, Paul (2018). EMI Films and the Limits of British Cinema. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan/Springer. p. 98. ISBN 9783319948034.
- "Some Will, Some Won't". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 November 2019.