Watch On the Fiddle For Free

good back-story, and good acting

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

A charming little piece, harking back to life during the 2nd World War, with the same rose-tinted spectacles worn by Captain Mainwaring in The BBC comedy series 'Dad's Army'. But this isn't a period piece; it's a comedy. And an interesting one of note because it features Sean Connery in one of his earliest lead roles, before the 007 role catapulted him to stardom.What raises this above the usual comedic fare is the excellent bond (pardon the pun) between the two mismatched characters. Connery is the conscience, and manages to keep his companion in moral check. But he also yearns for front line action, anathema to his colleague's sense of survival. Thus the cheating character is one we can sympathize with and actually believe he's looking after Connery's best welfare.Of course in the end they do finally see action, and after most of the film playing second dumb fiddle, Connery takes the lead and convinces his buddy to make the correct moral choice, helping save the lives of allied soldiers.The only one real flaw is the sudden ending which is humorous only really in its abruptness, but overall I found this film to be an entertaining surprise. Great underplayed role from Wilfrid Hyde-White, and spot some British favourites in early roles.

'On the Fiddle' is OK, and won't let you down on a quiet afternoon. It's more interesting for the fact that it's a comedy war film from the point of view of the average soldier, and the officers who do appear are shown as complete idiots. Nowadays this is a given, but in 1960, when the UK still had conscription, to make a film like this was to take sides in the social changes that were happening. It's a forerunner of 'Kelly's Heroes' on a tiny budget, and it looks like it was fun to make, so you can't judge it too harshly. And there are few better than Sean Connery at buddy movies. In a way, it shows how Bond constrained Connery for the years he did it, and I wish there were more films of the time with him not wearing a toupee or being a psychopathic MCP.

When he is pulled up in court for selling stuff on the street, Horace Pope says he was only doing it while waiting to enlist. The judge calls his bluff and forces him to sign up. Pope makes friends with the easy going but loyal Pedlar Pascoe, who happily goes along with all of his scams in an effort to avoid the front lines and make a bit on the side. However, his scams cause trouble where he goes and there are only so many places he can go before France beckons.I watched this film recently in a sort of tribute to it's main star Alfred Lynch, who sadly died over the Christmas holiday 2003. I had never seen this film of his before and didn't even know when it was made. The reason I mention that is because this film feels like one of those Norman Wisdom films where the English cheeky chappy unwittingly does heroics in the war, all with a `blimey gov'ner' and so on. Instead this was made in the 1960's, although I can't think why. The basic plot sets up a series of little amusing scams before the sudden heroics that we all know will come sooner or later. While it is rarely hilarious, it is amusing at turns and is worth watching as long as you don't expect too much of it.Lynch plays a character that wouldn't have really worked in the 1940's as, regardless of his later heroics, he is really far too cowardly and weasely to be a wartime hero - but 15 years later it can be overlooked. He does OK and is a standard cockney type - although it is strange seeing him taking the lead role over Connery. Connery was only a year away from being the legend he now is with Bond and plays totally against what would now be considered type. He is a little bit simple but good hearted; while the role is hard to swallow now, he does play it well. The support cast is surprisingly deep considering the material; Parker, Le Mesurier, Owen and Windsor are among the famous faces.Overall this is an enjoyable film that is never hilarious but has the amusing, music hall air of a propaganda movie from 15 years older. I wonder how this film was received as it must have seemed outdated even the day it was released - watching it now is probably better cause it is just an `old' film. It's not great but the cast is famous and the comedy is gentle and old fashioned - an average film but still worth seeing.

This is a perfectly charming little service comedy, with the added bonus of co-starring Sean Connery just before he attained fame in the role of James Bond. Even better, Connery plays totally against type, as a low-key version of Gomer Pyle -- an ingenuous, somewhat stupid-but-likeable serviceman. Alfred Lynch is the real star, though, playing a weasel-y British version of Sgt. Bilko, running numerous scams with his dim-witted buddy Connery. It's funny. Imagine American service sitcoms such as "McHale's Navy" and "Sgt. Bilko" crossed with the gently loopy charms of Ealing Comedies, and you'll get an idea of the tone of this film.