Nearest and Dearest (film)

Nearest and Dearest is a 1972 British comedy film directed by John Robins and starring Hylda Baker and Jimmy Jewel.[1] A spin-off from the long running TV sitcom Nearest and Dearest, it was written by Roy Bottomley and Tom Brennand and produced by Hammer Films in conjunction with a film subsidiary of Granada TV.

Nearest and Dearest
UK theatrical poster
Directed byJohn Robins
Written byRoy Bottomley
Tom Brennand
Produced byMichael Carreras
StarringHylda Baker
Jimmy Jewel
CinematographyDavid Holmes
Edited byChris Barnes
Music byDerek Hilton
Production
companies
Hammer Films
Granada Special Comedy
Distributed byAnglo-EMI (UK)
Release date
  • 1972 (1972)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Baker and Jewel are feuding brother and sister Nellie and Eli Pledge, owners of Pledge's Purer Pickles.

Plot

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On their father's death, Eli and Nellie Pledge inherit a pickle factory in Colne, in the north of England. The warring siblings struggle to keep the decrepit "Pledge's Purer Pickles" afloat, hampered by severe lack of funds, zero business acumen and by having inherited a workforce that is a decade beyond retirement age. While Nellie works hard to keep the business going, Eli prefers to indulge in the delights of beer, cigarettes, gambling and women.

The annual Summer holiday is soon upon them and the entire factory is closed down. Nellie takes Eli to a Blackpool boarding house run by landlady Mrs. Rowbottom, whose eyes light upon bachelor Eli. Eli though, only has eyes for the younger Freda. Eli's attempts to further his financial ambitions by marrying off Nellie to a colleague in the pickling business are challenged when Vernon Smallpiece is snatched from the altar by bailiffs for non-payment of his debts.

Cast

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Music

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The theme music for the TV series, composed by Derek Hilton, was turned into a song for the film. It was performed by Hylda Baker who also wrote the lyrics.

Critical reception

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The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Some venerable double entendres compete for belly laughs with Hylda Baker's malapropisms in this latest TV-sired offering. The movie still manages to come out as an interminable compilation of dirty seaside postcards, and the cosy domestic smuttiness of it all looks very tatty when hammed up over-large for the big screen."[2]

Sky Movies said, "a kind of bumper bundle of seaside postcard jokes, with acting honours going to Jimmy Jewel, underrated as a character actor, and Yootha Joyce, who pops up as Mrs Rowbottom."[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Nearest and Dearest". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Nearest and Dearest". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 40 (468): 209. 1 January 1973. ProQuest 1305830083 – via ProQuest.
  3. ^ "Nearest and Dearest - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 1 April 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
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