Nearest and Dearest (film)

Nearest and Dearest
UK theatrical poster
Directed by	John Robins
Written by	Roy Bottomley Tom Brennand
Produced by	Michael Carreras
Starring	Hylda Baker Jimmy Jewel
Cinematography	David Holmes
Edited by	Chris Barnes
Music by	Derek Hilton
Production companies	Hammer Films Granada Special Comedy
Distributed by	Anglo-EMI (UK)
Release date	1972 (1972)
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Nearest and Dearest is a 1972 British comedy film starring Hylda Baker and Jimmy Jewel as feuding brother and sister Nellie and Eli Pledge, owners of "Pledge's Purer Pickles". A spin-off from the long running TV sitcom Nearest and Dearest, it was produced by Hammer Films in conjunction with a film making arm of Granada TV. As well as starring in the film, Hylda Baker also sings the title theme song. Despite the popularity of the TV series, the film version failed to match that success at the box office.

Plot

On their father's death, Eli and Nellie Pledge inherit a pickle factory in Colne, in the north of England. The warring siblings struggle to keep the decrepit "Pledge's Purer Pickles" afloat, hampered by severe lack of funds, zero business acumen and by having inherited a workforce that is a decade beyond retirement age. While Nellie works hard to keep the business going, Eli prefers to indulge in the delights of beer, cigarettes, gambling and women. The annual Summer holiday is soon upon them and the entire factory is closed down. Nellie takes Eli to a Blackpool boarding house run by landlady Mrs. Rowbottom, whose eyes light upon bachelor Eli. Eli though, only has eyes for the younger Freda. Eli's attempts to further his financial ambitions by marrying off Nellie to a colleague in the pickling business are challenged when Vernon Smallpiece is snatched from the altar by bailiffs for non-payment of his debts.

Cast

• Hylda Baker as Nellie Pledge
• Jimmy Jewel as Eli Pledge
• Joe Gladwin as Stan
• Edward Malin as Walter
• Madge Hindle as Lily
• Norman Mitchell as Vernon Smallpiece
• Pat Ashton as Freda
• Bert Palmer as Bert
• Peter Madden as the court bailiff
• Norman Chappell as a man on the bus
• Yootha Joyce as Mrs Rowbottom
• John Barrett as Joshua Pledge
• Carmel Cryan as the Club hostess
• Sue Hammer as Scarlet O'Hara
• Janie Collinge as Vinegar Vera
• Donald Bisset as Vicar
• Kerry Jewel as Claude
• Adele Warren as Mimi la Vere (stripper)
• Nosher Powell as a bouncer

Critical reception

Sky Movies said, "a kind of bumper bundle of seaside postcard jokes, with acting honours going to Jimmy Jewel, underrated as a character actor, and Yootha Joyce, who pops up as Mrs Rowbottom."

External links

• Nearest and Dearest at IMDb