SAILORS THREE
(BEF)
F the direction had been better and if Tommy Trinder, in making his film debut, had beem really funny instead of relying too much on mere
smartness, Sailors Three would be fairly good topical farce. It may be purely personal prejudice on my part, but I have never been able to regard as essentially comic anygne who, to raise a laugh, has to rely mainly on the obtuseness of an offsider. In other words, I like my funny men to be the cause of wit (or humour) in others, as well as being witty (or humorous) in themselves. And by that standard, Tommy Trinder is not the comedian which the advertisements make him out to be. On the other hand, Claude Hulbert is, and if it hadn’t been for the lessadvertised Mr. Hulbert I am sure that the film would have been, if not a dull at least a very ordinary show. That it does not, indeed, rise above second grade entertainment is due less to deficiencies in the plot than to the fact that Hulbert is subordinated to Trinder in the cast. The story is a wildly improbable one about three intoxicated but indomitable British sailors who, returning from shore leave in South America, blunder by a series of mischances on to a German pocket battleship lying some way off the coast. Though, minus their uniforms, they protest that they are benevolent neutrals, the secret is out when Hulbert is discovered to have a large portrait of
Nelson tattooed on his chest and an even larger Union Jack on his back. Through what can only be described as criminal negligence on the part of the enemy, these three irresponsibles manage to seize the ship, when most of the crew are ashore on a lonely island, and in due course take it to port as prize. Except in the earlier part, however, the quality of the humour does not quite match up with the ludicrous nature of the situation, and the ending-almost a parody on the Ajax home-coming, with medals and newsreel effects completewould have been much better left out. With these reservations, Sailors Three was not unamusing, and I will be watching for Claude Hulbert’s next appearance.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19410926.2.42.1.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 118, 26 September 1941, Page 17
Word count
Tapeke kupu
371SAILORS THREE New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 118, 26 September 1941, Page 17
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in