Go To Blazes - 50th Anniversary

Go To Blazes celebrates its 50th Anniversary and it will screen at the BFI as part of the London Comedy Film Festival on January 29th before the film’s first ever DVD-release one day later.

Bernard (Dave King), Harry (Daniel Massey) and Alfie (Norman Rossington) are three crooks whose ‘smash and grab’ tactics are usually doomed to fail… for the hapless three may possess charm and a certain naivety, but always seem one light bulb short of a full chandelier in the upper department…

As yet another attempt to smash the window of a jewellery store goes spectacularly wrong, they end up being caught and get transported in a police van. On the way to the slammer, they witness how the traffic parts for an on-call fire engine. Hell, even the police car stops to let the flame red vehicle pass! Quicker than you can say “up in smoke”, the three crooks hatch a new master plan: to acquire their very own fire engine as soon as they are released, for they consider it to be the perfect getaway vehicle for the next jewellery robbery!

Unfortunately, things start to go pear-shaped when they are mistaken for real firemen. Harry gets scared by the appearance of the police and flees into a dress salon’s changing room. There, he meets pretty lady Chantal who might just hold the key to finally pulling off a heist that for once proves successful.

Featuring an all-star cast including Maggie Smith, Robert Morley, Thora Hird and Dennis Price, madcap action is guaranteed. This re-discovered gem of British comedy from 1961 may not have the refined sense of humour of films such as The Lavender Hill Mob for example, but it’s a great laugh nonetheless and the acting is just as great. You’ll never look at fire engines the same way again!