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      Porridge

      1979 1h 35m Comedy List
      Reviews 83% 500+ Ratings Audience Score An English jailbird (Ronnie Barker) accidentally escapes from prison, then tries to break back in. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      StephenPaul C LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 35 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Flawless! The finest British comedy of all time. Barker and Beckinsale are as brilliant as always Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Extremely funny. A classic Ronnie Barker masterpiece! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member After the success of the TV series Porridge, which ran on the BBC from 1974 to 1977, creators Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais were offered the chance to make a film of it by Lew Grade. They agreed, with Clement directing and La Frenais producing. It's one of the very few TV to film transfers that actually works, and it's buoyed by a good cast, good humour and some great observations by the characters. Set in Slade Prison in Cumbria, and regular prisoners Norman Stanley Fletcher (Ronnie Barker) and Lennie Godber (Richard Beckinsale) take in new inmate Rudge (Daniel Peacock), and they're impressed by his talents at football, and they put him forward for the prison team in a football match against celebrities, however violent criminal Grouty (Peter Vaughan) uses the match to get violent robber Oakes (Barrie Rutter) out of prison, using the coach the celebrities came in on. However, Fletcher and Godber witness what Oakes is up to, and they end up being taking hostage on the coach. But, they manage to get away, and try to find a way of getting back INTO Slade Prison. It has good characters and a good plot, plus unlike most other sitcom to film transfers, creators Clement and La Frenais had complete control over this one, and it's a success as they have great characters and a good story too. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member For fans of the tv series only - this is a stretched archaic affair, where camp prisoners wearing rouge passes as humour. Despite being given very little to work with, Ronnie Barker delivers all the (too few) laughs. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Sunday afternoon viewing.. all-but mandatory once a year for British citizens after a heavy Sunday lunch. While the style and feel is nostalgically dated the comedy is timeless. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      Porridge

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      Critics Reviews

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      Derek Malcolm Guardian It would be nice to be able to say that Clement and Ian La Frenais, the writers, had done something fresh with their well-worn if still amusing material. But they haven't. The film obstinately remains a fattened-up episode. Nov 8, 2021 Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) They [introduce explicit references] in a mealy-mouthed fashion that salves their consciences without disrupting the easy comic tone or endangering the family audience 'A' certificate. Nov 9, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis An English jailbird (Ronnie Barker) accidentally escapes from prison, then tries to break back in.
      Director
      Dick Clement
      Screenwriter
      Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais
      Production Co
      Black Lion Films Limited [gb]
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Runtime
      1h 35m