The British cinema, despite the occasional excellent film such as Joseph Losey's "The Go-Between", was generally at a low ebb during the 1970s. Even more than the American cinema, it seemed to be fighting a losing war against television. Its two main staples were the two things about which British television executives were even more censorious than British film censors and were therefore not available on either the BBC or its commercial rival ITV- sex and horror. The only British films which seemed to make any money were either Hammer horror films or smutty comedies along the lines of the "Carry On" series.
Occasionally, however, the television companies joined forces with their rivals in the cinema to produce a film version of a popular television programme. Situation comedies frequently lent themselves to this treatment. Sometimes, as with "Dad's Army" or "Porridge", the film was a fairly straight equivalent of the series it was based on, but sometimes the film-makers took advantage of the relative freedom offered by the new medium to turn the television programme into something bawdier.
"Up Pompeii", a sitcom set in the days of the Roman Empire, was a popular TV show in the early seventies. The film version follows the adventures of the main character, the slave Lurcio, as he gets involved with a plot to assassinate the Emperor Nero shortly before the destruction of Pompeii in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Classical scholars would, of course, point out that Nero had been dead for over a decade at the time of the eruption, but this is not a film likely to appeal to classical scholars, except to adherents of that school of classical history which holds that the average Roman citizen spent most of his time attending orgies and the rest engaged in such pursuits as feeding Christians to the lions.
The name Lurcio is pronounced "Lurkio", which gives a good idea of his character (as well as showing that the scriptwriter knew something about Latin pronunciation). Most of the characters, in fact, have suggestive pseudo-Latin names which hint at their personal failings; Lurcio's master is called Ludicrus Sextus, his wife Ammonia and their children Erotica and Nausius. There is a soldier called Captain Bilius and a slave-girl called Scrubba, "scrubber" being British slang for "prostitute". The humour, like that of the original television series, is almost entirely based upon sexual innuendo and doubles-entendres, although here the sexual references are more direct and less innocent than they were on TV. The film also shows rather more female flesh than would have been permitted on television at the time.
Contrary to what is sometimes stated, Frankie Howerd was not a "Carry On" regular, appearing in only two films in that series, but his style of humour was very much in the same tradition. Like some of the more frequent "Carry On" actors, such as Kenneth Williams or Charles Haughtrey, he delivers his innuendo-laden lines in an exaggeratedly camp, effeminate manner. ("Titter ye not!") Despite this, however, and despite the fact that Howerd was gay in real life (as were Williams and Haughtrey), his character Lurcio is supposed to be a red-blooded heterosexual, always chasing after any pretty girl who takes his fancy.
I have often seen comments on this board about films from the seventies to the effect that they look "dated", largely because the clothes of that era can seem eccentric to modern eyes. Fashions in comedy, however, can change just as quickly as fashions in clothing, and outdated humour can make a film seem even more old-fashioned than can details such as platform shoes and kipper ties. This film is a good example. Although campness has not altogether died out in British comedy (think, for example, of Julian Clary), the humour of "Up Pompeii" seems very dated today. Even with such lame material, however, Howerd was always a highly professional comedian, and his timing and delivery here prevent the film from becoming totally unwatchable. This is far from being the worst British sex comedy of the seventies. For all its classical setting, "Up Pompeii" is no classic. Compared to the likes of "Carry on Emmannuelle", "Percy's Progress" or "Holiday on the Buses", however, it looks like Moliere. 5/10
Occasionally, however, the television companies joined forces with their rivals in the cinema to produce a film version of a popular television programme. Situation comedies frequently lent themselves to this treatment. Sometimes, as with "Dad's Army" or "Porridge", the film was a fairly straight equivalent of the series it was based on, but sometimes the film-makers took advantage of the relative freedom offered by the new medium to turn the television programme into something bawdier.
"Up Pompeii", a sitcom set in the days of the Roman Empire, was a popular TV show in the early seventies. The film version follows the adventures of the main character, the slave Lurcio, as he gets involved with a plot to assassinate the Emperor Nero shortly before the destruction of Pompeii in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Classical scholars would, of course, point out that Nero had been dead for over a decade at the time of the eruption, but this is not a film likely to appeal to classical scholars, except to adherents of that school of classical history which holds that the average Roman citizen spent most of his time attending orgies and the rest engaged in such pursuits as feeding Christians to the lions.
The name Lurcio is pronounced "Lurkio", which gives a good idea of his character (as well as showing that the scriptwriter knew something about Latin pronunciation). Most of the characters, in fact, have suggestive pseudo-Latin names which hint at their personal failings; Lurcio's master is called Ludicrus Sextus, his wife Ammonia and their children Erotica and Nausius. There is a soldier called Captain Bilius and a slave-girl called Scrubba, "scrubber" being British slang for "prostitute". The humour, like that of the original television series, is almost entirely based upon sexual innuendo and doubles-entendres, although here the sexual references are more direct and less innocent than they were on TV. The film also shows rather more female flesh than would have been permitted on television at the time.
Contrary to what is sometimes stated, Frankie Howerd was not a "Carry On" regular, appearing in only two films in that series, but his style of humour was very much in the same tradition. Like some of the more frequent "Carry On" actors, such as Kenneth Williams or Charles Haughtrey, he delivers his innuendo-laden lines in an exaggeratedly camp, effeminate manner. ("Titter ye not!") Despite this, however, and despite the fact that Howerd was gay in real life (as were Williams and Haughtrey), his character Lurcio is supposed to be a red-blooded heterosexual, always chasing after any pretty girl who takes his fancy.
I have often seen comments on this board about films from the seventies to the effect that they look "dated", largely because the clothes of that era can seem eccentric to modern eyes. Fashions in comedy, however, can change just as quickly as fashions in clothing, and outdated humour can make a film seem even more old-fashioned than can details such as platform shoes and kipper ties. This film is a good example. Although campness has not altogether died out in British comedy (think, for example, of Julian Clary), the humour of "Up Pompeii" seems very dated today. Even with such lame material, however, Howerd was always a highly professional comedian, and his timing and delivery here prevent the film from becoming totally unwatchable. This is far from being the worst British sex comedy of the seventies. For all its classical setting, "Up Pompeii" is no classic. Compared to the likes of "Carry on Emmannuelle", "Percy's Progress" or "Holiday on the Buses", however, it looks like Moliere. 5/10