Studiocanal release a brand new restoration of this vintage classic from 1956 on DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital.
Classic black comedy The Green Man has been given the best possible 4k restoration treatment, and emerges looking better than ever. And provokes as many laughs today as it did on its original release.
Directed by Robert Day, and anchored by a scintillating performance from Alastair Sim as Hawkins, a watchmaker with a second career as an assassin who specialises in bumping off self-regarding politicians and captains of industry, there is splendid support from George Cole, Terry-Thomas and Jill Adams.
All the ensemble demonstrate the spot-on comic timing necessary to carry off the whirlwind farce that features mistaken identities, compromising situations, racing around in a panic up and down stairs and in and out of doors at breakneck speed.
The Green Man of the title is a seaside hotel to which Hawkins has followed MP Sir Gregory Upshott (Raymond Huntley), who is intent on an illicit liaison with a girl from his office. Hawkins has a time bomb disguised as a radio, and looks like succeeding in putting an end to the businessman. But hot on his heels are Cole’s vacuum salesman William Blake and Adams’ Ann (Hawkins’ next door neighbour)…can they get there in time…?
It’s a joy of a film, and has brushed up very well indeed in its restored version, with some excellent extras including a feature on Sim “Those British Faces”, an interview with Matthew Sweet on The Green Man and an interview where Stephen Fry expresses his admiration for Sim – “The thing about him is, you never catch him acting”.
Jim Welsh
Radio Summerhall Arts 