Show Notes
Digging Up Trouble Behind Enemy Lines For episode 202 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we're trading our civvies for khaki and marching straight into the chaotic world of a genuine British comedy icon. This time around, the team is discussing the 1958 Norman Wisdom classic, The Square Peg.
Directed by John Paddy Carstairs and written by Jack Davies, the film follows the hapless road mender Norman Pitkin (Wisdom, naturally) and his perpetually flustered boss Mr Grimsdale (Edward Chapman) as they find themselves unexpectedly drafted into the Pioneer Corps. Before long, the pair are parachuted into occupied France, where Pitkin discovers he is the spitting image of a ruthless Nazi commandant, General Schreiber. What follows is a brilliantly executed dual-role performance that perfectly showcases Wisdom's immense gift for physical comedy and timing.
Supported by a wonderful cast that includes Honor Blackman and the glorious Hattie Jacques, it's a masterclass in slapstick that cemented Wisdom's place as a box office giant. The Reel Britannia team will be unpacking the film in our familiar warm, conversational, and lightly irreverent style, chatting about the ingenuity of the doppelgänger setup and the sheer, exhausting energy of Pitkin's war effort.
This episode, along with the complete Reel Britannia back catalogue, is available wherever listeners download their podcasts and at: https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/reelbritannia
Listeners can also follow the podcast on X at @rbritanniapod.
If you fancy even more film chat, special bonus episodes are available through the Reel Britannia Patreon. We'd love to invite listeners to support the podcast and enjoy our additional dives into the archives of British cinema.
#TheSquarePeg #NormanWisdom #BritishComedy #BritishCinema #ReelBritannia #Podcast #EdwardChapman #ClassicComedy
More from Reel Britannia
Taking the City to the Cleaners For our next outing on the Reel Britannia podcast, we are grabbing our mops and buckets for a wonderfully inventive slice of 1963 British comedy, Ladies Who Do.
Jogging On with the Ultimate Angry Young Man For episode 205 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we're lacing up our running shoes and taking a rather defiant jog into the heart of the British New Wave with Tony Richardson's 1962 classic, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
All at Sea with a Slightly Different Crew For episode 204 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we are taking to the high seas and hoisting the mainsail for the 1964 nautical romp, Carry On Jack.
A Licence to Confuse and a Swinging Sixties Spectacle For episode 203 of the Reel Britannia podcast, we are tumbling down a deeply psychedelic cinematic rabbit hole with the delightfully baffling 1967 spoof, Casino Royale.
Dublin soul, magnificent music and enough creative differences to sink a small record label. This episode was recorded a couple of weeks ago, before the terribly sad news of Glen Hansard's death earlier this week. We remember him with great affection as Outspan Foster, one of the unforgettable faces and voices at the heart of The Commitments.