I Watch Films: Rentadick

 

Rentadick

Armitage is a chemical manufacturer whose firm has invented a paralysing gas*. Concerned that foreign spies are after it he hires Major Upton and his private security firm to upgrade the security. While talking about it he also is concerned his younger, beautiful wife Utta might be unfaithful. Upton offers to look into that as well. He puts newcomer Hobbs on the wife case, and his number one Hamilton onto the gas.

Unfortunately Upton is rather naïve, his employees running their own scams. Hamilton kidnaps showgirls to be transported to a middle eastern ruler**. Hamilton discovers that there are in fact Japanese spies, led by Madame Greenfly, who want the gas; he offers to sell it to them. He brings in two other operatives to the plot. Meanwhile Hobbs starts surveillance on the Armitage House.

They are all bumbling fools of one sort or another. Hobbs gets trapped inside the house, hiding behind furniture, trying to get out etc. Hamilton has to go through increasingly ridiculous ways to circumvent security to get the gas, culminating in one of his sidekicks infiltrating the plant in a mouse suit. The Japanese, who are odd and inscrutable as was the style in British films at the time,*** make their own attempts to get the gas, causing chaos.

The finale is best described as madcap. There are some actually good jokes, and several scenes where events pile up in a way that is genuinely unexpected and funny. In all though it’s dated, filled with flat characters who range from stereotypes to ciphers, and oddly and distractingly framed by an interview Utta Armitage has with Penelope Keith, a device that adds nothing to the film, and makes no sense (how did she learn all the things that were going on?)

Watch This: Curiosity of a 1970s British comedy private investigator spoof
Don’t Watch This: Outdated, paper thin, racist, very silly, can’t even muster enough vigour to be smutty

* This being a comedy film, you will probably realise that the gas will in fact be used, and that it literally freezes people in place in a humorous manner.

** Comedy film? You will be pleased to know that the pay off for this joke is that Hamilton gets his comeuppance; still this is in rather bad taste.

*** There are some obvious racist stereotypes, and some things that I don’t know if they’re supposed to be or if the benefit of the doubt should be offered that it’s just absurdities. Probably not to be honest.