In the Doghouse

Leslie Phillips struggles with this drama/comedy that has a few very predictable gags and some serious scenes that don't really fit together.

As a new graduate, Phillips runs an ethical vet practice while a fellow student that cheated on his exams runs a wealthy but dodgy business, and uses Phillips in a scheme to export old horses to France for their meat.

Phillips was known at the time on the TV series "Doctor in the house", and it's a bit difficult to know at the start of the scene whether it's going to be a funny scene or tragic, which sometimes makes for uncomfortable viewing.

In the Doghouse is based on the reminiscences of Alex Duncan, who did for vets what Richard Gordon did for doctors. He wrote four books, A vet's life, which the film is based on, then Vet in Congress, Vets in the Manger, and Vets in the Belfry. This was turned into a good solid script by Michael Pertwee, brother of the very famous Jon Pertwee of Doctor Who and Worzel Gummidge fame; their father Roland Pertwee was a good screen writer in the 30s and 40s, and had over 40 films credits, mostly with smaller thrillers.

It's a typical British comedy pre-Carry On with a charming. kind-hearted performance by Leslie Philips, as a bumbling vet who eventually graduates after 10 years of trying and takes over a run-down practice. Philips here is immensely kind and upright and it actually suits him well going against type. His co-star and romantic interest is the stunningly and ever lovely Peggy Cummins. It could just have easily been Muriel Pavlow who'd had such success with the Doctor films, but I for one think Peggy is better here. As always she lights up the screen. She was a very good actress, appearing in several of the really good comedies of the 1950s such as The Love Lottery and Meet Mr Lucifer, but she's probably best known these days for her part in Hell Drivers with Sean Connery (And they're both very much still with us), but her best role is almost certainly the 1950 Deadly is the Female, aka Gun Crazy, where she plays a female bank robber.

In the Doghouse has a villain in the smarm of James Booth's ambitious and avaricious fellow graduate. Booth always played the slightly caddish role with relish and here he takes on the womanizing role that Philips would eventually make his trademark. It's also noteworthy as having Hattie Jacques in one of her first major comedic roles, an actress who was without a doubt one of the most prolific and hard-working of all British actresses. In a career that saw her start at 17 and keep going to her early loss in 1980, it is the comedy she came to be known for, and her we see a foreshadow of her greatness as Matron in the Carry On films, as the RSPCA helper to Philips. It was also Vida Hope's last film - anyone loving British comedies of this era would recognise her tiny mousy performance instantly.

All in all, this is good solid 50s style British comedy, director Darcy Conyers is no Ralph Thomas, but does a steady job. There are some hints of blue coming in with the early sixties, but no real smut; lots of animals, some farce, a ridiculous sixties vet practice with hypnotism and perm and set salon, some laugh out loud farce, and a nice romance. A good Saturday afternoon film indeed!

Having just dashed off a trio of Brian Rix vehicles this production-line Leslie Phillips comedy could only be a step up for director Darcy Conyers; although it proved his final feature film (ditto female lead Peggy Cummins; seen modelling a basque as a showgirl in a double act with a monkey).

Although the title tells you all you need to know about the level of wit to be anticipated, some of writer Michael Pertwee's sardonic wit makes it into the film (including digs at the tabloid press and a final gag about the Queen's corgis which can still be understood after six decades) and it shows a prescient concern with animal welfare.

Episodic mix of humor and pathos as bumbling Fox-Upton (Leslie Phillips) struggles to finally pass (on his fifth attempt) his exams to become a veterinarian and begin a practice. He buys a small London practice only to find that the cheating Skeffington (James Booth) opens a swank practice around the corner.

Several little stories about Fox-Upton's dealings with the locals, meeting a woman (Peggy Cummins) and her mischievous chimp, and Skeffington's plan to sell horses for meat in France. Not always a good mix and some bits are rather too long, but Phillips is quite good.

Lots of familiar faces include Hattie Jacques as a sympathetic cop, Esma Cannon as an old-age pensioner, Dick Bentley as a horse thief, and Joan Hickson, Vida Hope, Peggy Thorpe-Bates, Joan Young, Judith Furse, Patsy Rowlands as various women, and Fenella Fielding as another of her plummy-voiced eccentrics.

Leslie Philips graduates from veterinary college after ten years, when they run the same exam as seven years earlier. He buys a moribund practice where everyone wants him to put down unwanted pets. His love of animals brings him unusual patients like a lion, and a chimp belonging to showgirl Peggy Cummins (in her last big-screen role). Meanwhile, unscrupulous fellow vet James Booth seduces the ladies, works out advertising and quackery, and gets Phillips involved in an unlicensed scheme to ship horses to France for butchering.

It's one of those British comedies that came into popularity with the DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE series about various professionals and their humorous tribulations. All it lacks is James Robertson Justice as the curmudgeonly authority figure. Certainly, with all the animals, it runs more to the slapstick than that series. Although I began watching it with a weary expectation, I found the combination of cute animals and Phillips' befuddled, sympathetic nature made it enjoyable.