WILT

UK, 1989, 92 minutes, Colour.
Mel Smith, Griff Rhys- Jones, Alison Steadman, Diana Quick, Roger Allam.
Directed by Michael Tuchner.

Wilt is adapted from a popular novel by Tom Sharpe. The film is directed by veteran Michael Tuchner whose credits range from Villain to Mr Quilp to telemovies like The Summer of my German Soldier.

The film is a star vehicle for the comics of Not the Nine O'Clock News: Griff Rhys- Jones and Mel Smith. Both are more restrained than in their television series as well as in their limp spoof of space epics, Morons from Outer Space. The film focuses on a lecturer at an open University (in the vein of Kingsley Amies like stories from the 50s, Lucky Jim). The film focuses also on a bumbling policeman, played by Smith. The lecturer is accused of murdering his wife and another couple and the zaniness goes on from there. There are some funny line and funny situations, but not enough to be fully engaging for the audience. To this extent, Griff Rhys- Jones performance and characterisation lives up to his characters name, Wilt.

The film then is a mixture of spoof on the police as well as satire on the universities and Yuppy university types.

1. Entertaining comedy? Characters, situations, lines, wit?

2. The work of the stars, their television performances and reputation? Styles of comedy? Verbal, visual, situations? As adapted for the film version of the novel?

3. The focus on Wilt, ineffectual, not being promoted, wimpish, his wife and her martial arts and her reaction, talking over him, his imagining murdering her, in the bath, socialising with Sally and Hugh, his reaction to the people there, his wife's conversation and Yuppy interests? Walking the dog, encountering the policeman and the drug dealer, holding the gun, letting the dealer go off? His miserable life, his work in the classroom, the lack of interest of the students, their ridicule, his reaction, the bleeding nose? Having to make an apology to the students at the sausage factory? pointing out that everything at Sally's and Hugh's, overhearing his wife and Sally's advance? The clash between the two, his being stripped and tied to the inflatable doll? His trying-to get out, comic touches, humiliation? His going home, the arrest? The disappearance of his wife and the couple? Encountering the policeman, the interrogations and the tapings? His memory, explanation of the students, the apology, the night at Sally and Hugh's, the doll, taking it away in the car, the accident, trying to deflate it by stabbing it, the woman witness (and her identifying him), his throwing the doll down the shaft, encountering the watchman? The irony of the digging up of the concrete and finding the doll? The long explanation about the sausages, the policeman going to all the shops and factory? The letter signed, Sweeney Todd? His being allowed to go home? Wanting to leave, disillusioned with everything? His wife's phone call, going to her rescue, the encounter with the policeman, in the graveyard, the strangler, the fight? The reconciliation? His being promoted because of his endurance? Going to the martial arts class and meeting the policeman? Griff Rhys- Jones personality, style, characterisation of Wilt?

4. Eva and the marriage, talking over her husband, controlling and leading him, ridiculing him? Martial Arts? Having a zest for life? With Sally and Hugh, the advice, the shopping, fashions? Enjoying the socials? Humiliated? Sally's advance and her misunderstanding, going with them on the boat, stranded, Sally's designs, her worry about Wilt, the revelation of the truth, her anger, getting in the raft, encountering the Vicar, pouring out her story, the irony that he was the strangler? In the church, the struggle, the fight and her being rescued? Having learnt her lesson? With Wilt at the martial arts?

5. Sally and Hugh, Yuppy style, wealth, fashion, socialising, sexual preferences, manoeuvres, seduction, Sally with the inflatable doll, humiliating Wilt, on the boat, stuck, the revelation of the truth?

6. The policeman and his ambition, loosing the microphone, the drug deal and his mismanagement, Wilt and the gun? His assistant? The senior officer and his success? His assertions about the murder, the taping, hostility towards Wilt, the examination of Wilt's house and hearing Wilt on the answering service? The investigation of Sally and Hugh, the front end loaders and their digging up their property? Digging up the concrete, the inflatable doll? His talking over Wilt's answers? The Sweeney Todd story and the expense and time in examining all the sausages? His pursuit of Wilt, the clash in the cemetery? His being sacked - and the irony of the top policeman on holidays at golf and catching the strangler?

7. The university staff, the principal and the financial deals, prestige, the tour with the Japanese and their curiosity about the cement? The other members of the staff, support of Wilt, ridiculing him, Peter's help?

8. The police, the assistant, the policeman in charge and the downgrading of the investigator?

9. A picture of 80s England, the open universities, the Thatcher experiment, socialisation and education for all, the types in the class and their reaction, the sausage factory? University staffs? Finance and Japanese investment? New age and trendiness? Yuppies and ambitions? Personal integrity?