Chatter Box Film

Two obscure titles celebrating 100 years of Peter Sellers come to DVD and Blu-ray, on 26 January, released by Studiocanal. Both are reminders of his versatility as a performer.

The first title is Only Two Can Play a film where Sellers plays a frustrated librarian, John Lewis, in a loveless marriage to Virginia Maskell in South Wales.

As the smartest man in town (seemingly), Sellers takes a fancy to a mayor’s wife, Mai Zetterling, who is putting on a theatrical production. Sellers’ character embeds himself within her world in the hope of wooing her.

Directed by Sidney Gilliat and written by Bryan Forbes, the script is quite risque for the period and produced in 1962, it was ahead of its time and the zenith of the swinging sixties post 1966. Yet if you realise that the famous obscenity case of Lady Chatterley’s Lover took place in 1960, the opening of sexual freedom and changing societal attitudes to promiscuity was starting to take shape.

Sellers is a hoot throughout with his delicate Welsh accent, and he is ably supported by Richard Attenborough as the husband he wants to abscond.

Forbes wrote the script, based upon the Kingsley Amis book That Uncertain Feeling, this is a biting attack on social mores in post-war British life.

The second title Carlton Browne of the F.O. (1959) is in my opinion the funnier of the two and shows how good Sellers was when he had opposites of his equal.

In this instance, Terry-Thomas plays the title character a nepo-baby who is ambassador to an obscure British colonial territory, Gaillardia, that has appeared on the radar when the new King (Ian Bannen) comes to the throne following his father’s passing.

Upon people visiting the island, there comes a clamour for the rich minerals in the island from Britain and Russia (sounds very topical at the moment), while the young King returning from university and a member of the Labour party wants to give the fortune to the people of his kingdom.

Thomas plays that pompous character with familiar aplomb but Sellers – as the snivelling Prime Minster Amphibulos to the King who is trying to pull corrupt strings for his own gain – enjoys his role with relish.

The film directed by Roy Boulting, is a fine satirical swipe at the fading glory of the British Empire in the post World War two haze.

Co-starring John Le Mesurier (Dad’s Army) as an unloving uncle to the new King, there is even a young Nicholas Parsons working in the Foreign Office.

Full of fun and vigour, with sight gags, quips and a rhythm that is found wanting in current comedic circles.

The two releases offer a comparison to Sellers talent as both a leading straight man and as a key part of any ensemble. While some rightly call Sellers a genius, some geniuses are only as good as the material. Luckily, these two titles offer evidence to support it. And irrespective of Sellers being the selling point, these are two highly enjoyable films to savour.

Released on 26th January; both discs have stills gallery, archive interviews and breakdowns by experts Vic Pratt and Peter Lydon on both titles. They are available to pre-order here: Only Two Can Play, as well as Carlton Browne of the F.O.*

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