''Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!'' is a 1974 British political themed-

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

based on the popular "

Whitehall farce The Whitehall farces were a series of five long-running comic stage plays at the Whitehall Theatre in London, presented by the actor-manager Brian Rix, in the 1950s and 1960s. They were in the low comedy tradition of British farce, following the Al ...

" written by

Michael Pertwee Michael Henry Pertwee (24 April 1916, Kensington, London – 17 April 1991, Camden, London) was an English playwright and screenwriter. Among his credits were episodes of '' The Saint'', ''Danger Man'', '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'', '' B-A ...

, who also wrote the

screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...

. In the film, a government minister and his best friend co-sponsor a bill against

permissive {{about, , the 1970 British film, Permissive (film), the grammatical mode, Permissive mood, the flavor of software license, permissive free software licence A permissive cell or host is one that allows a virus to circumvent its defenses and replica ...

behaviour in the United Kingdom. They are opposed by a group of

hippies A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

, who try to discredit them. Meanwhile the minister is trying to maintain sexual relations with two different women, while keeping his sexual life hidden from the public.

Plot summary

Sir William Mainwaring-Brown, a British Government Minister, puts forward a bill to battle ''filth'' (

behaviour) in the UK. However, that does not stop him having an affair with Wendy (the wife of a high-up reporter), as well as planning a one night stand with his secretary Miss Parkyn, when he discovers her boyfriend has gone away. Opponents to the bill - mainly some

, led by Johnny - decide to kidnap the Minister's best friend and co-sponsor of the bill, Barry Ovis, just as he is on the way to the church to marry his fiancée, Jean. The intention is to discredit Barry Ovis by making it appear that he was involved in an orgy and therefore, remove any credibility that the Law and Order Bill might have had. Following a tip off by Edith, one of the conspirators, the police raid the hippies' flat. Thankfully (for Barry), he escapes before the police discover him and dashes back to Sir William's flat followed by Edith. Meanwhile, the Minister is also trying to use the flat to carry on his seduction of Miss Parkyn, only for Wendy to also appear by surprise. The Minister, Barry and Jean try to keep the truth from Inspector Ruff (Who is searching for the missing Ovis), Wilfred Potts (an ancient anti-sleaze MP, who is staying temporarily in the adjoining flat) and Birdie (the Minister's wife). Not only that, but they have to try to deal with the hippies who do their utmost to discredit Mainwaring-Brown and Ovis. Naturally this causes no end of trouble.

Cast

Brian Rix Brian Norman Roger Rix, Baron Rix, (27 January 1924 – 20 August 2016) was an English actor-manager, who produced a record-breaking sequence of long-running farces on the London stage, including ''Dry Rot'', '' Simple Spymen'' and ''One for ...

as Barry Ovis *

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor, director, producer and author. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. ...

as Sir William Mainwaring-Brown *

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

as Lady 'Birdie' Mainwaring-Brown *

Joanna Lumley Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992 ...

as Giselle Parkyn *

Derek Royle Derek Royle (7 September 1928 – 23 January 1990) was a British actor born in London, England. He graduated from RADA in 1950. His face was probably better known than his name to British viewers, but he acted in films and TV from the early 196 ...

as Wilfred Potts *

Myra Frances Myra Frances (13 April 1942 – 30 March 2021) was a British actress known for her role in the drama series '' Survivors'' and in '' Doctor Who''. Career In the 1974 ''Second City Firsts'' episode "Girl", Frances and Alison Steadman performed t ...

as Jean *

Katy Manning Catherine Ann "Katy" Manning (born 14 October 1946) is an English-Australian actress, television presenter, voice artist and former model. Although she has made many appearances on both screen and stage, Manning is best known for her part as th ...

as Damina *

Peter Bland Peter Bland (born 12 May 1934 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire) is a British-New Zealand poet and actor. Life He emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 20 and graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington. He worked as a radio producer f ...

as Inspector Ruff *

Anita Graham Anita Graham (born 15 February 1948) is a British film, stage and television actress and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Graham's first television role was in an episode of '' Crossroads'' (1964). She went on to appear in '' T ...

as Wendy *

Barrie Gosney Barrie Gosney (1926, Surrey – 24 January 2008) was a British television, film and theatrical actor. In a career spanning five decades, Gosney played roles in ''Up Pompeii'', ''Last of the Summer Wine'', ''Believe Nothing'', ''Time Gentlemen P ...

as Police Sergeant *

Derek Griffiths Derek Griffiths (born 15 July 1946) is a British actor, singer, and voice artist who appeared in numerous British children's television series in the 1960s to present and has more recently played parts in television drama. Career Griffiths was ...

as Johnny *

Corbet Woodall Corbet Stafford Woodall (6 April 1929 – 19 May 1982), was an English newsreader for the BBC. Born in Hampshire, he was educated as an Oppidan scholar at Eton College where he also excelled at sports. He worked in the 1950s for the New Ze ...

as TV newsreader *

David Battley David John Battley (5 November 1935 – 20 January 2003) was a British actor of stage and screen, mainly appearing in comedy roles. Early life Battley was born at Battersea, London, the elder son of John Battley, a post-Second World War Labour ...

as Country Yokel *

Gabrielle Daye Gabrielle Daye (2 October 1911 – 5 January 2005) was an English stage, film and television actress, notable for her TV role as Mrs. Pring on '' Bless Me, Father''. Other television appearances include ''Coronation Street'' (as Beattie Pears ...

as Elderly lady *

Diane Langton Diane Langton (born 31 May 1947) is an English actress and singer, known for playing Marlena "Nana" McQueen in ''Hollyoaks'' from 2007 to 2009 and 2012 onwards. Career Langton has appeared in numerous television series. In the 1980s, she appear ...

as Angie *

Aubrey Woods Aubrey Harold Woods (9 April 1928 – 7 May 2013) was an English actor. Biography and career Woods was born on 9 April 1928 in Edmonton, Middlesex and grew up in nearby Palmers Green. He was educated at the Latymer School. His first film ...

as TV chairman

Reception

Halliwell's Film Guide Robert James Leslie Halliwell (23 February 1929 – 21 January 1989) was a British film critic, encyclopaedist and television rights buyer for ITV, the British commercial network, and Channel 4. He is best known for his reference guides, '' Film ...

'' gave the film a negative review, saying it was a "stupefying from-the-stalls rendering of a successful stage farce; in this form it simply doesn't work". ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...

'' was similarly scathing, stating the film "reduces the precise timing of the double entendres, the bedroom entrances and exits and the dropped-trouser misunderstandings to the level of clumsy contrivance, which not even the slickest of players can redeem".

Television

The film was spun off into a

sit-com A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new ...

entitled ''Men of Affairs'' for

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

was unavailable to reprise his role as William Mainwaring-Brown, so the part went to

Warren Mitchell Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was a British actor. He was a BAFTA TV Award winner and twice a Laurence Olivier Award winner. In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes ''Educatin ...

, who had found lasting fame as Alf Garnett.

References

External links