08/03/06 Stiff Upper Lips

Stiff Upper Lips (1998), directed by Gary Sinyor

watched w/ Leslie; VHS (personal copy) @ home

Leave it to the British to be able and skewer themselves like only the dry wit of the Queen Mother can. This unassuming little ditty seemed like it would be nothing more than the bland average British comedies that luckily don't seem to flood our market too much these days. However, upon further inspection of the actual motives, it shows itself to be a very cute lampoon of period piece caste systems. The sight gags and blunt humor are very much the style of American films like "Airplane" or "The Naked Gun" series...very tongue-in-cheek, silly, and inappropriate. Just imagine those films if the subject matter came from "Little Women." Imagine if you will, our lead Emily is now ripe enough for marriage and hornier than a housecat in heat. She is then meant to be betrothed to stiff upper-class twit Cedric, all to the plotting of her Aunt Agnes and idiot brother Edward. When she refuses Cedric's starchy advances, she is saved from drowning by dashing peasant boy George who takes post as the family servant. In a relationship that is looked down upon in mannered society, the lustful couple try ever chance they have to secretly meet and play. To top it off, Cedric and Edward seem to have a very taboo liking for one another, which plays out in awkward innuendo galore. It's a silly romp, with tons of mentioning of one's unmentionables...airing of the dirty laundry perhaps. I didn't expect much from the farce, but I was pleasantly surprised by giggling every once in awhile. (Shy away, blush). Oh my!

3 out of 5 stars