Father Came Too! – 1963 | 91 mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

This loose follow-up to The Fast Lady (1962) was again written by Henry Blyth and Jack Davies in the traditional Rank mould and yet again features James Robertson Justice, Stanley Baxter and Leslie Phillips in central roles. Julie Christie’s character as Baxter’s long-suffering partner is filled by Sally Smith. This creaky comedy transfers the old mother-in-law jokes to overbearing father-in-law James Robertson-Justice but the gags soon dry up and the humour becomes as series of clownish visual pratfalls involving spilt paint, falling through floorboards, water pipes and faulty wiring.

During an idyllic honeymoon on the French coast, newlywed Juliet Munro (Sally Smith) persuades her husband Dexter (Stanley Baxter) to move in with her adoring, and overbearing, father Sir Beverley Grant (James Robertson-Justice) when they return to England. But Dexter soon tires of living with Sir Beverley and the newlywed Munroes, helped by the local estate agent Roddy Chipfield (Leslie Phillips), purchase the rundown and ramshackle Rose Cottage.

They reject the structural advice and offer of financial assistance from Sir Beverley and instead take out a series of bank loans in order to fix it up themselves. However, they haven’t appreciated the scope of the work required to get the place up to scratch. They have no choice but to seek outside help and employ the cheapest builder possible. When jolly builder, Josh Wicks (Ronnie Barker), arrives on the scene, the bills start going through the roof. Eventually the house is completed, but Dexter has lost his job and Juliet has returned to live with her father. Whilst Dexter is alone preparing his first cooked breakfast the house catches on fire and the fire brigade ruins a local historical pageant in a vain attempt to help.