Up the Chastity Belt (1971)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1971
Running Times: 94 mins
Format: Technicolor     35mm
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Associated London Films / EMI Films Ltd
Executive Producer: Beryl Vertue
Producers: Terry Glinwood, Ned Sherrin

SCRIPT
Script: Sid Colin, Ray Galton, Alan Simpson

DIRECTION
Director: Bob Kellett

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ian Wilson

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Al Gell

MUSIC
Music: Carl Davis

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Seamus Flannery

CAST
Frankie Howerd (King Richard / Lurkalot)
Graham Crowden (Sir Coward de Custard)
Bill Fraser (Sir Braggart de Bombast
Roy Hudd (Nick the Pick)
Hugh Paddick (Robin Hood)
Anna Quayle (Ashfodel)
Fred Emney (Mortimer)
Dave King (landlord of the Blue Boar)
Lance Percival (our man in the Holy Land)
Nora Swinburne (Mistress of the Bed Chamber)
Godfrey Winn (Archbishop of all England)
David Kernan (troubador)
Anne Aston (Lobelia)
Billy Walker (Chopper)
Royce Mills (Knotweed)
Lally Bowers (the voice)
Alec Pleon (man-in-stocks)
Ian Trigger (lucky charm seller)
Ken Wynne (1st man)
Jimmy Gardner (little man)
Parnell McGarry (battle-axe wife)
Jonathan Dennis (young man)
Patricia Quinn (wife)
Barrie Gosney (meat stall holder)
Aubrey Woods (vegetable stall holder)
Dave Prowse (Sir Grumbel)
Christopher Timothy (vendor)
Frank Thornton (Master of Ceremonies)
John Gorman (1st man-at-arms)
Don Hawkins (2nd man-at-arms)
Toby Lenon (Squill)
Ian White (Lieutenant)
Sam Kydd (1st locksmith)
Veronica Clifford (Winifred)
David Battley (yokel)
Peter Straker (Arab)
Nora Wipp, Niko Laski (belly dancers)
Sammy Winmill (waitress)
Derek Griffiths (Saladin)
Eartha Kitt (Scheherzade)
Norman Beaton (blacksmith)
Judy Huxtable (Gretel)
Jonathon Elsom (1st horseman)
Serretta Wilson (serving wench)

The Queen of England gives birth to twins. One of them, Lurkalot, is cast out and is brought up by pigs, one of which he believes to be his mother. He becomes a servant to Sir Coward de Custard who loses his castle and lands to the villainous Sir Braggart de Bombast. In the aftermath, Lurkalot finds himself joining the Crusades and learning of his long lost brother - Richard the Lionheart.

With hindsight its' easy to criticise films from an earlier age for their attitudes and believes, but surely even at the time this must have seemed crude, racist and sexist. Howerd deserved better than this, a script that relies far too heavily on racial stereotyping and leering innuendo for its humour and not enough on genuine wit. One for 70s British comedy completists only.

Naughty Knights
Runter mit dem Keuschheitsgürtel - German title

SEQUEL TO
Up Pompeii (1970)
Up Pompeii (1971)

SEQUEL
Up the Front (1972)

MAGAZINES

CinemaTV Today no.9961 (1 January 1972) p.29 (UK)
credits, review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.39 no.456 (January 1972) pp.17-18 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Sight and Sound vol.4 no.8 (August 1994) p.63 (UK)
note

Today's Cinema no.9898 (20 April 1971) p.12 (UK)
credits

BOOKS

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.515
credits

sequels, crusades, medieval, gadgets

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008