The Bargee
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Duncan Wood (director), Ray Galton and Alan Simpson (writers) |
| Products | Comedy film |
The Bargee is a 1964 British comedic motion picture filmed using Techniscope, directed by Duncan Wood, featuring performances by Harry H. Corbett, Hugh Griffith, Eric Sykes, and Ronnie Barker. The script was crafted by Ray Galton alongside Alan Simpson.
Plot
Hemel Pike and his cousin Ronnie manage a canal boat and its accompanying butty under the employment of British Waterways on the Grand Union Canal. Despite the downturn in canal transportation, Hemel remains devoted to his traditional way of life and enjoys a reputation as a charming ladies' man, much to Ronnie’s jealousy.
Their journey from Brentford to Boxmoor is marked by various obstacles, including dealing with an incompetent pleasure boat operator. Along the way, Hemel visits several girlfriends, such as Nellie, a barmaid stationed at Rickmansworth, before delivering goods at Boxmoor and then proceeding empty towards Birmingham. At Leg O'Mutton Lock, Hemel encounters Christine, the lock-keeper Joe Turnbull’s daughter. Although Hemel holds Christine in high regard, Joe disapproves of her relationship with a canal worker. Ronnie diverts Joe’s attention with a pub outing while Hemel spends time with Christine. She encourages Hemel to abandon canal life for more secure land-based employment, but he resists this suggestion.
After they leave, Joe learns that Christine is expecting a child and, enraged that the father works on the canal, he obstructs the canal using an explosive device to halt traffic until the father steps forward. When Hemel and Ronnie arrive at the scene, Hemel admits to being the father.
Joe permits Hemel to stay with them until he marries Christine. Although Hemel tries to secure work on land, he finds himself missing the freedom associated with life on the canals.
During their wedding celebration, Christine announces that their boats have been renamed Hemel and Christine. She also reveals that working boats will be phased out from canals within 18 months but agrees to continue living aboard the boats with Hemel and their child until then—preserving their family’s enduring connection to canal life.
Cast
- Harry H. Corbett as Hemel Pike
- Hugh Griffith as Joe Turnbull
- Eric Sykes as the Mariner
- Ronnie Barker as Ronnie
- Julia Foster as Christine Turnbull
- Miriam Karlin as Nellie Marsh
- Eric Barker as Mr Parkes, foreman
- Derek Nimmo as Dr. Scott
- Norman Bird as Albert Williams, waterways supervisor
- Richard Briers as Tomkins
- Brian Wilde as policeman
- Ronnie Brody as Ted Croxley
- George A. Cooper as Mr Williams, office official
- Ed Devereaux as boat man
- Wally Patch as bargee
- Michael Robbins as bargee
- Jo Rowbottom (credited as Jo Rowbotham) as Cynthia
- Grazina Frame as office secretary
- Una Stubbs as bridesmaid
- Eileen Way, Rita Webb, and Patricia Hayes as onlookers
- Godfrey Winn as announcer
- Edwin Apps as George the barman
Release
The movie debuted at London's Empire Cinema located in Leicester Square on 23 April 1964.
Box office
According to Kinematograph Weekly, the film was considered a "money maker" during 1964.
Critical Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin observed that producer Duncan Wood's shift from television to cinema resulted in a film that appeared "intolerably vulgar" on the big screen, despite involving familiar creative personnel. The humor was characterized as repetitive, and some performances were occasionally unpersuasive, with a touch of sociological nostalgia concerning the fading narrow-boat lifestyle.
Variety recognized the film’s distinctive British waterways backdrop and skilled cast but pointed out its inconsistent tone and pacing. The review suggested that a quicker tempo and steadier slapstick elements might have enhanced its overall entertainment value.
According to The Radio Times Guide to Films, the movie received a 2/5 star rating, criticizing its fragile storyline revolving around Corbett’s character being tricked into marriage and noting underlying sexist themes despite featuring prominent comedic actors.
Leslie Halliwell described the film as a coarse and crude comedy that failed to provide sufficient laughs or establish Harry H. Corbett as a leading film actor.
See also
The 1934 film Flood Tide similarly includes scenes featuring canals and inland waterways.