Two Way Stretch

As part of the Peter Sellers Anniversary, Studiocanal UK are releasing this hilarious crime caper from 1960 newly restored on Blu-ray. Sellers is at his funniest best (flanked by some of the biggest names from the era), though is occasionally almost upstaged by Lionel Jeffrey’s as the Chief Prison Officer from hell.

The plot revolves around three prisoners (and best mates by the looks of it) currently in the slammer. That said, their cell resembles more a cosy B&B than a prison cell, what with cooking facilities and what have you. There’s even a secret spot for hiding a bit of booze. The three inmates are ‘Dodger’ Lane (Sellers), ‘Jelly’ Knight (David Lodge) and ‘The Dip’ Lennie Price (Bernard Cribbins). As if things don’t look cozy enough already, Prison Governor Horatio Bennett (Maurice Denham) seems rather lax about things too. You would be forgiven to think that Dodger, Jelly and the Dip are on holiday but this cosiness is soon interrupted by two persons: an incredibly nice vicar (Wilfrid Hyde-White), who befriends the prison governor with the pretence that he wants to find employment for the soon-to-be-released three inmates. And pretence it is, because our holier-than-thou and oh so well meaning vicar is in fact ‘Soapy’ Stevens, a nifty conman and fellow partner in crime whose previous action resulted in the incarceration of his three mates. Now Soapy wants to make up for it by suggesting an incredible plan: an apparently fool-proof jewel heist which requires Dodger, Jelly and Dip to first break out of prison and then make their way back for the sake of a solid alibi!

The heist in question concerns the robbery of priceless diamonds originally from a Middle Eastern country, now transported on British soil. Plan is for our three hapless convicts to intercept the transport. Initially suspicious, the three agree and plan is put into action. Dodger’s missus Ethel (Liz Fraser) and Dip’s mother Mrs. Price (Irene Handl) are part of the plan and do their bit in ensuring a successful prison break for the three. Alas! The unexpected arrival of Chief Prison Officer ‘Sour’ Crout (Lionel Jeffreys) almost throws a spanner in the works. Not only is Crout the replacement for Chief Prison Officer Jenkins (Maurice Denham) who is immediately at loggerheads with the Gov, but as a super-disciplinarian who does everything by the book, he makes it clear that for the inmates, those cosy days are over!

What follows next is pure comedy delight, with Sellers at the helm and a constant battle of the wills (and wits)! The scene in which Dodger, Jelly and Dip attempt to ‘assassinate’ Sour Crout with dynamite is a laugh-out-loud moment as is the scene in which Crout, having recognises the vicar as as robber Soapy, chases him through a train station and ends up arresting the wrong vicar. Will the plan and the heist of the century go according to plan? Of course not! Peter Sellers would have been 100 this year and what better way to celebrate than with this delightful caper!

In Character: The films of Peter Sellers runs from 2-30 August on the BFI Southbank. A Boxset of Peter Sellers films may be available in November.

Bonus Material includes: Peter Sellers: Criminally Good / Two Way Stretch: Sellers on the Inside / Audio Commentary / Behind the Scenes stills gallery / Trailer