A TRIP TO FRANCE

Hancock's Half Hour (Radio) First Series - Programme 11

Hancock gets a touch of sea fever, and sets sail for France with Sid - who has a little smuggling planned

Cast
Tony Hancock
Bill Kerr
Moira Lister
Sidney James
Alan Simpson
Kenneth Williams

Programme Guide

A rather misleading title they do take a trip but never actually reach France. In this show Tony Bill and Moira are allowed more time and scope than usual in the opening scene and it's probably the beet part of this show.

It's an early version of what was to become the relaxed early morning opening sequences which were used so extensively and successfully in the last three or four radio series.

After hearing Hancock's orders for sinking U-boats issued, apparently, from the bridge of a battleship, we learn that he is really directing the naval operations from his bathtub.

Bill enters and suspends his disbelief as he thought Moby Dick was only a legend. Bill recounts to Moira how, over the last few days, the bathroom has been awash with re-enactments of the Battle of Jutland and other such epic sea-clashes: "What is it today?" she asks, and Bill replies: "The Cruel Bathwater". Yes Hancock has definitely got the sailing bug.

He offers up a quick "Heave ho, me hearties" and even ad-libs amid the laughter "0h yes I've seen that Long John Silver, you know". Is this then his first recorded attempt at Robert Newton's alter ego?. A character he was to adopt, from time to time, right along to "The Bowmans".

Hancock tells Bill and Moira that he wants a boat and, rather inevitably, they find that a certain Sid James has boats for sale at Southampton Dock . Unknown to the three of them, Sid is in need of a crew to help him in a spot of smuggling with his French partner, Pierre. So after dissuading Hancock against buying the Queen Mary - which Hancock believes is powered by oars - Sid sells him his boat and joins them on their trial run.

Once afloat Hancock struts the deck as Captain and Moira says he's the image of Jack Hawkins in "The Cruel Sea", as she says, "I ought to know, I was in it". This allows Hancock the chance to extemporize on the vain-glorious theme for a little while.

Then another vessel signals to them. Sid takes over in an immediate mutiny and begins to transfer the cases of contraband from Pierre's boat to theirs. Hancock objects until he learns they are smuggling brandy Once loaded they set off back for England.

On their way they are stopped by another vessel; This time it's a Customs launch. Two officers board their boat to search for smuggled goods. The Customs men find three hundred bottles of brandy onboard. The officer (Kenneth Williams) says to them that "painting the bottles white and sticking a note on them saying two pints tomorrow didn't fool anyone . So please come along with me." Just when the worst might be happening, the final 'tag-line' scene tells us that the Customs officers have joined our heroes in their endeavours in the smuggling game.

In this show there are minor problems, such as Sid still referring to Hancock as Tony, which, with hindsight, just doesn't sound right. It's not the greatest show, but is very capable of being enjoyed and as with all these early shows, retains an awful lot of charm.