Movies

The Punch and Judy Man (1963) Written by and starring British comic actor Tony Hancock, this is a mild comedy of class conflict in a seaside resort town. Social-climbing wife promises the protagonist will perform his Punch and Judy show at a Gala Affair - he is an anti-snob who mocks and despises the upper classes, and they respond to his needling with hatred. In the egalitarian U.S.A. such a story from this period might end with some degree of mutual understanding, but in Merrie England the message from start to finish is know your place and keep it. The posh crowd takes a real drubbing in this and comes off as a lot of hateful fools who deserve to be despised. The ever-present John Le Mesurier has a significant role as a sand sculptor who lectures on the death of Lord Nelson. My reason for viewing this was my interest in folk entertainments but I learned an interesting lesson on British class culture too. 6/10