The fad for British films based on hit sitcoms came to an end as the '80's dawned. Among the last batch were 'Rising Damp' and 'George & Mildred' ( both 1980 ), and, of course, this, derived from Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais' masterpiece about wily convict 'Norman Stanley Fletcher' ( magnificently played by the late, great Ronnie Barker ). The series had ended three years before. In between we had had 'Going Straight' which chronicled the ex-lag trying to adjust to life without the iron bars across the windows. 'Porridge' begins with a mini-bus pulling up at the gates of H.M. Slade Prison - among the new arrivals are poker-faced officer 'Beal' ( Christopher Godwin ), first-time offender 'Rudge' ( Daniel Peacock ) and bank robber 'Oakes' ( Barrie Rutter ). Contrary to what was established at the end of 'Going Straight', Fletcher and Godber are back behind bars in the same nick and even sharing the same cell again. Godber's status as Fletcher's son-in-law is never mentioned. And 'Mackay' ( Fulton Mackay ) is once again making Fletcher's life difficult even though he left the prison service at the start of 'Going Straight'. So the movie's clearly set during the original run of the series. Yet at one point 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' by Ian Dury & The Blockheads can be heard on the radio. It wasn't a hit until late 1978.
Continuity problems aside, what about the film itself? It is episodic in structure, as though three episodes had been bolted together. The first features Fletcher coming into possession of Mackay's false teeth after he has sneezed them into a big pot of curry in the prison kitchen ( note that Godber's assistant - played by Zoot Money - is called 'Lotterby'. Named after Sydney Lotterby, the show's producer, no doubt ). The second has Grouty ( Peter Vaughan ) ordering Fletcher to organise a celebrity football match to provide cover for Oakes' escape ( he has money from his last job stashed away somewhere ). The third and final part has Fletcher and Godber making their way back to the nick across open country, dodging police cars and having run-ins's with angry farmers.
All this is very good stuff, if not quite in the same class as the show itself. It was overshadowed on its release by the sad death of Richard Beckinsale a few months before. As the critic of 'Photoplay' magazine noted, his was a great talent and the film does nothing to disprove this. Paul Ableman wrote a novelisation for Pan Books entitled 'Porridge: The Inside Story' in which he took the opportunity to develop the characters and expand the situations a bit further, such as having Fletcher and Godber working behind the bar in the Prison Officers Club ( and which explains how they knew about it at the end of the film ). Alongside the regulars ( only Christopher Biggins' 'Lukewarm' is missing and Michael Barrington's 'Mr.Treadaway' has been replaced by Geoffrey Bayldon's ), the irreplaceable Brian Wilde shines as the tame warder 'Mr.Barraclough', who drinks in the cellar because its an alternative to going home and facing his wife!
Funniest moment? Fletcher commenting on Mackay's adjustment to the evening meal. "He sees himself as an authority on curry on account of where he was stationed during the war!". "India?", his friend asks. "No, Bradford!", comes the reply. Not a great joke admittedly, but impeccably delivered by Barker.
Continuity problems aside, what about the film itself? It is episodic in structure, as though three episodes had been bolted together. The first features Fletcher coming into possession of Mackay's false teeth after he has sneezed them into a big pot of curry in the prison kitchen ( note that Godber's assistant - played by Zoot Money - is called 'Lotterby'. Named after Sydney Lotterby, the show's producer, no doubt ). The second has Grouty ( Peter Vaughan ) ordering Fletcher to organise a celebrity football match to provide cover for Oakes' escape ( he has money from his last job stashed away somewhere ). The third and final part has Fletcher and Godber making their way back to the nick across open country, dodging police cars and having run-ins's with angry farmers.
All this is very good stuff, if not quite in the same class as the show itself. It was overshadowed on its release by the sad death of Richard Beckinsale a few months before. As the critic of 'Photoplay' magazine noted, his was a great talent and the film does nothing to disprove this. Paul Ableman wrote a novelisation for Pan Books entitled 'Porridge: The Inside Story' in which he took the opportunity to develop the characters and expand the situations a bit further, such as having Fletcher and Godber working behind the bar in the Prison Officers Club ( and which explains how they knew about it at the end of the film ). Alongside the regulars ( only Christopher Biggins' 'Lukewarm' is missing and Michael Barrington's 'Mr.Treadaway' has been replaced by Geoffrey Bayldon's ), the irreplaceable Brian Wilde shines as the tame warder 'Mr.Barraclough', who drinks in the cellar because its an alternative to going home and facing his wife!
Funniest moment? Fletcher commenting on Mackay's adjustment to the evening meal. "He sees himself as an authority on curry on account of where he was stationed during the war!". "India?", his friend asks. "No, Bradford!", comes the reply. Not a great joke admittedly, but impeccably delivered by Barker.