Curry & Chips (1969) User Reviews

High on controversy, low on laughs.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 5/10 · 20 February 2024]

Irish Pakistani, Kevin O'Grady arrives in The UK in search of employment, he arrives at The Lillicrap novelties factory and gets taken on, he soon discovers the problems with working practices in The UK, and the racism.

One of the issues, is that every single character is racist, there isn't a single one of them that isn't, and that's one of the big stumbling blocks.

On the plus side, I think Eric Sykes is actually quite funny at times, but I don't think Milligan is particularly good here, Kevin is way too over the top, and simply a walking set of stereotypes.

Considering it's a comedy with a lot of pedigree, I just don't think it's particularly funny, take away the talk about race and prejudice, and you're left with virtually nothing, it simply doesn't have any laughs.

I'm genuinely not surprised that it was pulled, I'm only surprised that six episodes went out.

Speight definitely have us the laughs with In sick was and in health, but here, there just aren't very many.

Sadly not funny.

5/10.

Before it's time.

[Alanjackd · 10/10 · 9 December 2019]

Calling this racist is ridiculous. Its racial but not racist. It shows the difference in attitudes at a time when you could actually say what you meant Everybody is as bad as each other. Strange how things like this annoy lefties 50 years later. In my opinion comedy like this brought races together. If you dont like it then dont watch it. Simples!!

Amazed that we only remember 'Love Thy Neighbour' as offensive

[christopherbarton26 · 3/10 · 3 February 2019]

I remember this being broadcast late on Sunday evenings so I saw one or two as a child. I remember thinking that it was just silly. In recent years I have have said to people who revert to "Love Thy Neighbour" and 'It Ain't 'Alf hot Mum!' As being the pinnacle of racism in British television, that if they think that is offensive you should watch 'Curry and Chips'. It starred Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan. One of my comic heroes was Spike Milligan, but I am afraid I can only look at it now and cringe. It was actually written by the great Johnny Speight, the creator and driving force behind Alf Garnet, but I feel this went well off kilter simply due to it's crassness.

I Suppose if the lead character is born in Pakistan of an Irish dad and called Kevin O'Grady it is not going to be easy. He arrives at a factory from the labour exchange and manager (Sykes) offfers him a job, and shares digs with him. The fun starts!! Spike Milligan was born in and spent his early life in India. That in itself is "they are all the same"!. Weirdly in one of his BBC Q shows he there was a sketch featuring a Pakistani catholic Dalek coming home cross from work.

The cast simply said their lines, did not act, if you can call Spikes accent acting, then he did but he spoke quietly. Apart from him and Sykes, the other faces were known usual suspects from British TV and film (Geoffrey Hughes, Kenny Lynch, Sam Kidd and Norman Rossington). Often they seemed to forget their lines, ad. Lib or Time them badly. fact Kenny Lynch (a black guy born in the End of London) took willing part in the workplace racism and even sent himself up.

It could be seen as a reflection of the times and indeed it did reflect life and social interaction but had none of the subtlety and counterbalance of the Garnet sitcoms. I would actually think now that all the white characters in it were just awful caricatures, maybe Speight was saying if you think like this you are awful! That is Garnet after all.

It did actually satire the political and economic of the times where politicians and trade unions were panned. It also suggested, well in the end we all tolerated each other and had to get on, it's better than fighting. Unfortunately the racism in it was like machine gun fire in your face constantly and antidotal lines, particularly Milligan's are missed (Milligan seemed to speak his lines quietly).

Overall it is an interesting peak into how we were to a point. That's why I gave it 3, but not a particularly funny show,badly made with a few clever gags, a few! More of an uncomfortable viewing than an enjoyable one. Not surprisingly it flopped and there was only one series.

An unfairly maligned classic!

[Rabical-91 · 9/10 · 8 September 2023]

With 'Till Death Us Do Part' proving a massive success on the BBC, Johnny Speight devised this amusing sitcom for the newly launched London Weekend Television which combined the talents of Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan. The show is mainly remembered now for the critical backlash it received at the time for its inclusion of racist slurs and bad language ( which by today's standards is very tame indeed ). Yes, the show did feature a great deal of racist language but what detractors neglect to notice is that the point behind the show is to ridicule bigotry rather than encourage it, rather like with 'Till Death Us Do Part' and the later 'Love Thy Neighbour'. They also fail to notice that the bigots are usually the ones who end up coming off second best.

Milligan ( in black make-up ) plays Kevin O'Grady ( who later earns the nickname 'P--i Paddy' ), a Pakistani who claims to be half Irish on his father's side. He arrives in Britain to work at Lillicrap Ltd ( a factory devoted to making seaside novelties ) as a cleaner. The foreman of the factory is Arthur Blenkinsop, played by Sykes. Arthur is more liberal minded than the other workers of the factory who include Kenny ( Kenny Lynch ), Dick ( the much missed Geoffrey Hughes ) and shop steward Norman ( Norman Rossington ), all of whom are incorrigible bigots. Upon arrival at the factory, O'Grady announces he wishes to work for the factory to help The Royal Family out of their financial difficulties.

Arthur lives in digs, where the landlady is Mrs. Bartok ( Fanny Carby ). O'Grady comes to live there too as a lodger, much to the delight of Mrs. Bartok, who seems to have a crush on him.

With a fine cast and mostly good scripts from Speight, it really is hard to see why it failed. It is more than obvious that the show is designed to poke fun at the racists and anyone who can't see that is an idiot. Spike Milligan is excellent here and has great chemistry with Eric Sykes. I am not a fan of Milligan's solo work, I personally find him funnier when he is in the right company. The supporting cast, particularly Geoffrey Hughes, are all good too.

'Curry & Chips' lasted only six episodes. It was swiftly axed due to public sensitivity. With modern audiences being wet blankets more than ever, you will be guaranteed not to see repeat screenings of the show in this lifetime. Thankfully, the show was released on DVD in 2010 so those of a broad minded nature can give it a try.