A PAIR OF BRIEFS
UK, 1962, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Michael Craig, Mary Peach, Brenda de Banzie, James Robertson Justice, Liz Fraser, Roland Culver, Ron Moody, Bill Kerr.
Directed by Ralph Thomas.
A Pair of Briefs is an a typical English comedy of the early sixties with the innuendo in the title, the tone of the film is apparent. However, it has a legal setting and provides an amusing satire on the law in England, the administration of the law, and provides comic characters of typical English humour in legal situations. Michael Craig was the leading young British actor at the time. It is quite an amusing example of this period of English comedy.
1. The humour and ambiguity of the title? The indications of the tone of the film? Its style?
2. The characteristics of British comedies in the fifties and sixties? Black and white photography, the stars, Interior comedy, the qualities of the wit and humour, situations and style?
3. The characters in this type of film? How well done? Types? The contrivances of the plot? How important was realism? How important the conventions of humour?
4. The humour as focussed on the law in this film? the value of law and British justice? The mockery of British justice and its application? The barristers and their style, performances in court? The overriding bullying of the judge? The solicitors and their deals? The value of the case? Briefs, money, the barristers learning? The serious side of this plot? The humour in the satire?
5. The case itself and its double-dealing? Rich and poor, truth and lies? The stance of the innocence of the barristers and the shrewdness of the lawyers, in the court? Sid and his girlfriend and their style? The poor widow who was really rich? Audience response to the complications of the plot and the administration of justice? Using the law for their own purposes?
6. The conventions of the love story? How obvious? How enjoyable and sentimental?
7. Characteristics of the comedy of situation, dialogue? The importance of Britain's capacity for light-hearted self-mockery?
