A Jolly Bad Fellow

A Jolly Bad Fellow

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1964
Founder	Don Chaffey (director)
Products	Black comedy film

A Jolly Bad Fellow (known in the United States as They All Died Laughing; alternatively titled Don Among the Dead Men) is a 1964 British black comedy directed by Don Chaffey, featuring performances by Leo McKern and Janet Munro. The narrative centers on a university academic who advances his position by secretly administering a lethal, untraceable toxin to his colleagues, resulting in hysteria and fatalities. The film was regarded as "Michael Balcon's effort to revive the charm of Ealing comedies" and provided McKern with a rare leading role.

Plot

At the University of Ockham, Professor Kerris Bowles-Ottery employs a distinctive poison to remove professional competitors and further his career ambitions. His assistant Delia coerces him into promising marriage through blackmail, but he chooses to poison her, maintaining his fidelity to his wife. When law enforcement arrives to interrogate him, he escapes their grasp but ultimately dies in a fatal crash caused by smoking a poisoned cigarette inadvertently brought home by his spouse.

Cast

• Leo McKern as Prof Bowles-Ottery
• Janet Munro as Delia Brooks
• Maxine Audley as Clarina Bowles-Ottery
• Duncan Macrae as Dr Brass
• Dennis Price as Prof Hughes
• Miles Malleson as Dr Woolley
• Mervyn Johns as Willie Pugh-Smith
• Mark Dignam as The Master
• Leonard Rossiter as Dr Fisher
• Alan Wheatley as epicene
• Patricia Jessel as Mrs Pugh-Smith
• Dinsdale Landen as Fred
• George Benson as Inspector Butts
• Ralph Michael as Superintendent Rastleigh
• Jerome Willis as Detective Inspector Armstrong
• John Sharp as Hodges
• Wally Patch as Tom the publican
• Judith Furse as Lady Davidson

Production

Based on C.E. Vulliamy's 1952 darkly comic novel Don among the Dead Men, which tells the story of an Oxford don who kills rival academics, the film rights were secured in 1962 by Michael Balcon. Initially, Andrew Sinclair was tasked with scripting the adaptation under Pax Films, in collaboration with Bryanston and Brittania Films.

Eventually, Robert Hamer—renowned for Kind Hearts and Coronets—received credit for the screenplay, while Don Chaffey took on directing duties. This project marked Leo McKern’s debut in a leading capacity after years of character roles. The production sought to capture the essence of classic Ealing comedies such as Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Ladykillers. Principal photography commenced in June 1963 at Shepperton Studios.

Reception

While Evening Standard acknowledged McKern’s performance positively, it criticized the film for its lack of cleverness and flair. The Observer deemed it "not particularly amusing." Variety characterized it as a light comedy reminiscent of vintage Ealing films but ultimately forgettable.

The Monthly Film Bulletin commented on the film’s dated style, suggesting it failed to rejuvenate the Ealing comedy tradition despite incorporating social critique and television allusions. Don Chaffey's direction was described as uninspired and overly meticulous, accompanied by an irritating jazz organ soundtrack.

Leslie Halliwell referred to it as an "intriguing yet annoying comedy" with sporadic moments of genuine humor. In a 2017 analysis of Bryanston Films, Duncan Petrie concluded the movie achieved minimal success commercially or critically.

According to The New York Times, it was "unconventional but not particularly hilarious," although it recognized the film’s polished craftsmanship and relaxed tone.

External links

• A Jolly Bad Fellow on Letterboxd