The Fast Lady

James Robertson Justice - Charles Chingford
Leslie Phillips - Freddie Fox
Stanley Baxter - Murdoch Troon
Kathleen Harrison - Mrs. Staggers
Julie Christie - Claire Chingford
Eric Barker - Wentworth
Esma Cannon - Lady on Zebra Crossing
Dick Emery - Shingler
Allan Cuthbertson - Bodley
Oliver Johnston - Bulmer
Deryck Guyler - Dr. Blake

Enjoyable and charming Rank farce from Ken Annakin, the director behind Very Important Person (1961) and Crooks Anonymous (1962). Annakin unites the same trio of leading players; Stanley Baxter, Leslie Phillips and James Robertson Justice, plus strong support in the shape of Julie Christie and Kathleen Harrison. As might be expected there cannot be a film featuring a car without a wacky chase sequence, and it’s whilst speeding through town and over a golf course past numerous cameo stars that the film reaches its climax. There was a loose sequel to the movie called And Father Came Too! (1963), which charted the adventures of a pair of newlyweds.

Murdoch Troon (Stanley Baxter) is an enthusiastic cyclist forced off the road by a large car belonging to a wealthy tycoon Charles Chingford (James Robertson Justice). Angry at this display of road rage, gormless civil servant Murdoch discovers Chingford’s home address and journeys there to confront him, only to fall in love with the businessman's eye-catching daughter, Claire (Julie Christie). Her passion is fast cars, so Murdoch decides to invest in a vintage Bentley to impress her- 'The Fast Lady' - the main obstacle is his lack of a driving licence. Unhappy with his daughter’s choice of beau, Chingford strikes a wager with Murdoch; if he passes his driving test he may date Claire with her father’s blessing, if he fails he must leave her. After spells of driving practise with his car salesman friend Freddie Fox (Leslie Phillips) the day of the test finally arrives and Murdoch has a disastrous examination, but he has chance to redeem himself when a policeman commandeers the car and orders Murdoch to pursue some bank-robbers getaway car.