Double Bunk

Double Bunk
Directed by	C. M. Pennington-Richards
Produced by	George H. Brown
Starring	Ian Carmichael Sid James Janette Scott Liz Fraser Dennis Price
Cinematography	Stephen Dade
Edited by	John D. Guthridge
Music by	Stanley Black
Distributed by	Bryanston (UK)
Release date	30 March 1961 (London West End)
Running time	92 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£110,275

Double Bunk is a British black-and-white comedy film set on a houseboat. It was released in 1961, and stars Ian Carmichael and Sid James.

The musical score was composed by Stanley Black, and the title song, sung by Sid James and Liz Fraser, was by Stanley Black, Jack Fishman and Michael Pratt (later better known as the actor Mike Pratt).

Plot

Facing eviction from their London flat, newlyweds Jack (Ian Carmichael) and Peggy (Janette Scott) are tricked into buying a rundown houseboat by its current owner Alfred Harper (Reginald Beckwith) and his put-upon wife (Irene Handl). Mr Watson (Dennis Price), who owns Jack and Peggy’s mooring, soon makes their acquaintance by introducing them to his mooring tariffs and associated surcharges.

Jack's used-car-salesman friend Sid (Sid James) helps him rebuild the engine, and the newlyweds take the boat down the River Thames to Ramsgate with Sid and his girlfriend Sandra (Liz Fraser) as passengers. On the way they have trouble with an official from the Thames Conservancy (Naunton Wayne) and a member of the river police (Terry Scott).

After Sandra's transistor radio gets misplaced next to the compass, they end up in Calais. With no fuel or supplies they must resort to desperate actions to get themselves and the houseboat back home. Sandra puts on a striptease for Watson, who also happens to be in Calais, so Jack and Sid can "borrow" some of Watson’s fuel and food. The next morning they follow Watson back across the Channel, as their own compass is broken, and enter into a wager with Watson on who can get back to their mooring first. They win the bet when Watson's boat runs aground.

Background

The houseboat, "Jasmine Cot", was actually "Joan Mary", an Admiralty 48-foot "Personnel Launch, Diesel" conversion. She was based at Newmans Shipyard, 1, Strawberry Vale, Twickenham.

Release

The film opened at the Leicester Square Theatre in London's West End on 30 March 1961 and went on general release in the UK on 8 May 1961.

The film went over budget by £4,500 and the producer had to write off personally £5,000.

Cast

• Ian Carmichael as Jack
• Janette Scott as Peggy
• Sid James as Sid
• Liz Fraser as Sandra
• Dennis Price as Watson
• Reginald Beckwith as Harper
• Irene Handl as Mrs. Harper
• Noel Purcell as O'Malley
• Naunton Wayne as 1st Thames Conservancy Officer
• Bill Shine as 2nd Thames Conservancy Officer
• Michael Shepley as Granville-Carter
• Toby Perkins as Pukka Type
• Miles Malleson as Rev. Thomas
• Jacques Cey as French Official
• Hedger Wallace as 1st River Policeman
• Terry Scott as 2nd River Policeman
• Desmond Roberts as Freighter Captain
• Peter Swanwick as Freighter Pilot
• Gerald Campion as Charlie
• John Harvey as Johnnie
• Graham Stark as Flowerman
• Gladys Henson as Madame de Sola
• Willoughby Goddard as Prospective Purchaser
• Marianne Stone as Prospective Purchaser's Wife
• Tom Gill as Customs Officer (uncredited)

Critical reception

• The New York Times called it an "extremely anemic little British comedy."
• The Spinning Image called it "a gently amusing feel-good comedy that chugs along nicely. ... You know you're in for a good time as soon as Double Bunk's opening credits kick in accompanied by a jaunty ditty sung by co-stars Sid James and Liz Fraser"
• Britmovie wrote, "the supporting cast is a veritable treasure trove of familiar faces, including Sid James, Naunton Wayne, Liz Fraser, Irene Handl, Miles Malleson and Noel Purcell and Dennis Price."

External links

• Double Bunk at IMDb
• Available on DVD by Odeon Entertainment