‘Three Men in a Boat', first published in 1889, remains perhaps Jerome K Jerome's best-known work. This light-hearted and effervescent 1956 film adaptation captures the essence of the story.
As the title implies, three men (and one feisty little dog) head off on a boating holiday in an effort to get away from their nagging wives, impossibly tangled love lives, maiden aunts, dreary jobs and other real-life troubles. They leave all of that behind to enjoy a few splendid days together in the English countryside during a long, glorious, hot summer. What could possibly go wrong?
This film adaptation updates the story to the Edwardian era, allowing the heroes to wear some splendid boaters, white strides and striped blazers. It incorporates location filming at Hampton Court Palace, as the book specifies, and makes the English river system along the Thames looks like a delightful spot to take a holiday, especially the parts closer to Oxford.
‘Three Men in a Boat' works so well because it gets the casting just right. David Tomlinson plays ‘J' (loosely based on the author Jerome K Jerome). You'll probably recognise him as the father, Mr Banks, in the popular musical ‘Mary Poppins', which he would go on to make the following decade. He's the perfect choice for the amiable and reasonable leader of the trip. Popular comedy actor Jimmy Edwards plays Harris, the slightly more irascible member of the trio who nevertheless often comes up with good practical ideas. The final member is the dashing and feckless George, the youngest friend who works in a bank yet spends most of his working day managing the various girlfriends that he has on the go at any one time. He's memorably played by Laurence Harvey.
I'm beginning to think that Laurence Harvey and I just got off to a bad start. The first film I saw him in was ‘Room at the Top', the 1959 picture that made him an international star. I thought the movie was dull and Harvey's performance duller. If that was the best he had to offer then I'd give him a wide berth. Recently, I saw his performance as the murderer of the week in an episode of 1970s ‘Columbo', which he made shortly before his tragically early death in 1973, and realised that he was a talented actor. In ‘Three Men in a Boat' he's sensational. At only 28, he's also full of youthful vigour, and he brings plenty of vivacity and playfulness to the role of George. Quite simply, he sparkles on the screen.
The banter and chemistry between the three leads truly lifts the film, ensuring that it is relentlessly entertaining, even though it essentially amounts to a sequence of riparian shenanigans of no real import. The episode in which they go skinny-dipping, believing that they have the river to themselves, is skilfully put together and the resolution raises a laugh.
Although ‘Three Men in a Boat' is a buddy film for men, it does introduce a few female leads for the chaps to get into a few scrapes with. Shirley Eaton, later memorably the golden girl in the James Bond film ‘Goldfinger', plays Sophie. Lisa Gastoni and Jill Ireland, both leading ladies of the day, complete the triumvirate. They pop in and out of the film but certainly enliven it.
In many ways, just like a boating holiday, ‘Three Men in a Boat' is entirely inconsequential. However, it is unremittingly charming and never anything other than enormous fun. At only an hour and a half's duration, it also doesn't outstay its welcome. Arguably a scene in the Hampton Court Palace maze and some high-jinks at a cricket match don't entirely fulfil their promise, but the film and its leading actors build up such good will that, in the overall analysis, you can't help but love their company from start to finish. The 4K restoration for Blu-ray looks terrific, ensuring that ‘Three Men in a Boat' looks as warm and colourful as a never-ending English summer. Although almost everyone involved in making the film is now pushing up daisies, there is an interview with the President of the Jerome K Jerome society and some insights with a film historian on the extra features for anyone wishing to delve more deeply into the making of the film. I for one have immediately reached for a copy of Jerome K Jerome's novel having watched this terrific adaptation. If I enjoy it half as much as the movie, I'll be on to a good thing.
‘Three Men in a Boat' is released as part of Studiocanal's Vintage Classics series.
Cast: Laurence Harvey, Jimmy Edwards, David Tomlinson, Shirley Eaton, Lisa Gastoni, Jill Ireland Director: Ken Annakin Writer: Jerome K. Jerome, Hubert Gregg Released by: Studiocanal Certificate: PG Duration: 91 mins Release date: 19th August 2024 Buy ‘Three Men in a Boat'
