Saturday, February 7, 2009

Trouble in Store (1953) Film Review - Norman Wisdom

Plot Summary - British screwball comedy mostly taking place inside a large London department store. Clumsy, disheveled Norman (Norman Wisdom) works in the store's stock room but dreams of being promoted to window dresser while he admires pretty co-worker Sally, singer/salesgirl in the record department who just doesn't seem to notice him (interestingly, Norman has a great singing voice yet doesn't seem to want to pursue that as a career choice!). Lots of antics to follow in his pursuit of both his career and his dream girl including Norman being sacked then rehired several times after run-ins with the chief of staff, and other comic antics including Norman on roller skates, Norman hitting it off with the public in his comical pursuit of dressing a store window with dinnerware, and a ring-around-the-rosy staff dance followed by dinner where Norman's pants catch on fire. Other hijinks round out the action in the store including an eccentric shoplifter (Margaret Rutherford) who goes about stuffing goods into a couple of giant suitcases, the inept store detective who just doesn't seem to get it, and a tall, handsome gangster who Norman sees as a rival for Sally but is actually in league with the chief's secretary to rob the store.

Review - This is a funny, far-fetched film, loaded to the gills with slapstick - some of which is sort of over the top. Norman Wisdom is a very funny comedian - and, as mentioned above, he also sings! I am always amused by Margaret Rutherford whenever she appears on screen - a hoot, and she steals every scene she's in! I didn't think this was as funny as the Norman Wisdom film I saw last week, "Just My Luck (1957)", but still found this to be entertaining. Rating - 7/10 stars

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