Twice Round the Daffodils, 1962.
Directed by Gerald Thomas.
Starring Juliet Mills, Donald Sinden, Donald Houston, Kenneth Williams, Ronald Lewis, Andrew Ray, Joan Sims and Jill Ireland.
SYNOPSIS:
A group of four male patients arrive at a sanatorium to be treated for tuberculosis. As they adjust to their new home, each one of them starts to take a shine to the nurse and try their best to gain her attention.
A classic piece of nostalgic British comedy comes to DVD in the shape of Twice Dound the Daffodils and you cannot help but love it if for no other reason than the ‘they don’t make them like this anymore’ factor. Produced and directed by the legendary ‘Carry On’ team of Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas, you might expect this to me 85 minutes of innuendo and seaside postcard humour, but it is a much sweeter and poignant film than that.
Set in a hospital, the film is about the daily life of a new group of patients treated for tuberculosis. The first half is mostly a drama as the patients come to terms with broken relationships, prolonged treatments, health benefits for the wives, and even the chance of death. It works well as a drama, but it is in the second half when the men start becoming friends and chase nurses and fall in love that it shows its real charms.
Such an innocence and good-hearted nature is lost in today’s comedies, and although it is easy to dismiss the 1960’s easy way of everything working out nicely, this film is a perfect one to put on of an afternoon, and just enjoy. The only thing missing is Kenneth Williams saying “Ooooooooooh Matron!”
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Rohan Morbey – follow me on Twitter.
Originally published April 30, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
