The Plank (1967)

[Bulldog Jack]

The original version of the PLANK has its moments and is OK, but the remake with a rather fat, unfunny Arthur Lowe is a dud. It's half the length with all the funny bits removed.



The Question: Why was the 2nd version ever made?



Clara

[DB7]

Early shorts like The Plank and Rhubarb Rhubarb were remade for Thames tv.

[Windthrop]

After Sykes eponymously named TV series came to an end after Hattie Jacques death Sykes needed to restart his career but it was a strange move - I have noticed that whenever he talks or writes about the films he tends to ignore the TV versions.

[Bulldog Jack]

Thank you both very much. This is very enlightening. I suppose the bottom line in making any production is money. Without sounding too awful, I certainly hope PLANK 2 lost a packet.





Clara

[PaulDK]

I think i have both versions somewhere....i know ive seen them both before too...!!

[dadsarmy]

I had both films plank 1 and 2 uploaded on my stage 6 account but sadly all my vids and classic kids tv progs were wiped,i'm thinking of makeing new account to upload them all again.

[kelp]

After Eric Sykes "The Plank" was made, they needed a Distributor,then I believe Beryl Vertue from ALS (Associated London Scripts) approached The Rank Organisation to Distribute. They argued as to why they should, as it was a short-ish film. She argued back and they put it out with a main feature (remember in those days you had a complete programme of films for your money). It was so successful, that Rank released it everytime they had a big feature to promote!

[Windthrop]

Thank you both very much. This is very enlightening. I suppose the bottom line in making any production is money. Without sounding too awful, I certainly hope PLANK 2 lost a packet.





Clara

Sadly it was a success and led to a remake of Rhubarb Rhubarb and several original silents. The last one The Big Freeze had to be made in eastern europe for funding purposes.

[Bulldog Jack]

Sadly it was a success and led to a remake of Rhubarb Rhubarb and several original silents. The last one The Big Freeze had to be made in eastern europe for funding purposes.



This makes for disturbing reading. I guess the UK has, like the USA, it's own cinema-going subnormal population.



CLARA

[GRAEME]

We certainly do, Clara, but it should be made clear that these new versions were made for British television - not the cinema.



Here's a memory for you - as a child I went to see Sykes in a stage version of his sitcom with Derek Guyler and Hattie Jaques. During the interval they ran the original The Plank and slotted it into the continuity of the story! (and then Derek played his washboard...)



Graeme

[Windthrop]

We certainly do, Clara, but it should be made clear that these new versions were made for British television - not the cinema.



Here's a memory for you - as a child I went to see Sykes in a stage version of his sitcom with Derek Guyler and Hattie Jaques. During the interval they ran the original The Plank and slotted it into the continuity of the story! (and then Derek played his washboard...)



Graeme

Thanks for the story - there is some info about the stage show in the new Jaques biography which has just come out and apparently the audiences responded to her more warmly than Sykes and she was in very poor health at the time.

[GRAEME]

Thanks for the story - there is some info about the stage show in the new Jaques biography which has just come out and apparently the audiences responded to her more warmly than Sykes and she was in very poor health at the time.

Interesting. From memory Sykes went down a storm, milking the audience and doing asides and adlibs.



Everybody loved Hattie, of course.



One of the best gags? Eric puts his arm round Hattie and strolls her up and down the front of the stage (this is in Bournemouth, BTW): "There you go, Sis, I promised you walk along the front..."



Graeme