DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK (US:WHY BOTHER TO KNOCK)

UK, 1961, 89 minutes, Colour.
Richard Todd, Judith Anderson, Elke Sommer, Nicole Maurey, Eleanor Summerfield, June Thorburn, John Le Mesurier.
Directed by Cyril Frankel.

Why Bother to Knock is a sex comedy of the early '60s - indicating what was to become the swinging '60s in Britain. The film is a sex comedy, rather quiet in comparison with later examples of its kind. It works by suggestion rather than explicit scenes.

The film shows a Scotsman and his relationship with women - Richard Todd, not looking entirely persuasive in the central role. There is a good-natured performance by Judith Anderson (of all people - with an American accent) as his wise tourist friend. The glamorous ladies include Nicole Maurey and a young Elke Sommer.

The film is ultimately moral in tone: about a man sowing his wild oats, acting like an adolescent, in love with the woman who is to be his wife. The dialogue is not as witty as might be hoped for - even though there is additional dialogue by Frederic Raphael (Darling, Nothing But The Best, Two For The Road). The film was made in Cinemascope, photography by Geoffrey Unsworth - in Scotland and with many European locations.

1. An entertaining sex comedy? Satirical portrait of human nature?

2. Wide screen photography, Scottish and European locations? The tourist background and the tourist touch? The musical score?

3. The title and its suggestiveness, comic touches? in relationship to Bill's flat and the various occupants?

4. The focus on Bill Ferguson, his work in the tourist agency, his love for Stella, his being waylaid by women? Maggie and her friendship, advice, help? The clashes with Stella, being locked out of his flat? Going to Europe? Working with Fred? Encountering Lucille and the comedy of the night in the hotel? Ingrid and his pretending to be stranded in the mountains? Harry and her mother in Venice? Giving them the key? The phone call in Spain, returning to Stella, finding Lucille in the flat, the complications and their farcical tone? Juggling his visitors ' the clashes with Stella, the opening of the art show, Maggie’s reception, the beach? The ultimatum to Stella? The happy marriages for Lucille and Ingrid? The happy ending? A tongue-in-cheek fable about sowing wild oats and settling down?

5. Maggie and Judith Anderson's style, her tourists, her advice, her helping to a happy ending?

6. Lucille and her American oil man, the affair with Bill, coming to Scotland, her not making a scene, in love with Bill, the decision to marry? Ingrid and her leading the tourists, urged to rescue Bill, the night in the hut, coming to London, Julio and his music, in the flat, the complications with Stella, the marriage proposal? The woman in Venice and her absentminded husband, their daughter and son arriving in the flat, their youthfulness, Harry infatuated with Bill and wanting to be engaged? The -irony of the girl arriving at the end?

7. Julio and his music, the Edinburgh Festival, with Stella, with Ingrid, marriage?

8. The background of Scotland, the attractions of the city, the festival? Austria and Italy? Fred as the British agent in Europe and his coping with Bill?

9. Comic touches, romantic touches? Credible and plausible? As an amusing fable?