User Reviews

I don't usually give movies beyond the 1980's any time of day, but today I finished work early and just happened to catch this movie on channel 4.

The storyline isn't very deep, but I found the movie hilarious, which surprised me. I really enjoyed the performances of all the characters, especially the loud mouthed Emma (Peggy Mount).

It's a light weight comedy, not to be taken seriously, its just fun and perfect for an afternoons viewing. I actually now want to check out similar movies with Peggy and some of the other cast. Sad to learn most of the cast had passed away but real talent never really dies.

I recommend this to anyone with an open mind, and doesn't want a movie with too much going on, you'll be in stitches! Simple humour, classic!

Based on the play by Falkland L. Cary {sreenplay writer here as well}, Sailor Beware is one of those amiable British comedies from the 50s that let you while away a couple of hours without much call for thought. The premise is basically that Sailor Albert Tufnell is to be wed to the gorgeous Shirley Hornett, only trouble is is that his Mother-In-Law to be, Emma, is a battle axe of the highest order. Constantly interfering and convinced that nobody is good enough for her Shirley, Emma sets about making everyone's life a misery running up to the wedding day. Poor father of the bride Henry, best man Carnoustie Bligh, batty aunt Edie, and of course Albert himself; all of them are bossed about to within an inch of their respective lives. Will the wedding go ahead? Will a miracle happen and Emma finally keep her nose out of blossoming love? These are questions answered as the film comes to it's delightfully tidy conclusion. Featuring a towering performance from Peggy Mount as Emma and a very undervalued comic turn from Cyril Smith as Henry, Sailor Beware holds few surprises. But in that there is nothing wrong, for this is good honest entertainment not asking you to scratch the head and ponder about the story within. 6/10

With post-war demobilisation, young men coming home after a good many years, in some cases maybe a decade, in the armed forces, wanted to marry and settle down. However, after spending their formative adult years in a very different environment, they had outgrown the small suburban world of their parents. Beginning married life living with, or near, your in-laws was undesirable, but often unavoidable. Many marriages foundered at this point, others escaped through emigration. The situation in this film, although exaggerated, would have been familiar to the audience, who could go away and write their own sequels, as there is no solid resolution offered. The figure of the "Mother-in-law from Hell" is on the surface comic, but is actually tragic, we are shown ways out for everyone else, but she is trapped. The film is well made, and well acted. It is not The Magnificent Ambersons, nor was it meant to be, it has no pretensions to Art, makes no profound statements, but effectively illustrates one aspect of the human condition. Those involved in the making of this film would doubtless be surprised that it is still being watched, and appreciated, almost sixty years on. Anyone who recalls the era, or is interested in it, will not be disappointed.

A much-loved British classic, from the stage play and bringing across its great and talented mouthy star, Peggy Mount, as the loud-voiced matriarch Emma, terrorising her ferret-loving husband Henry (a brilliant performance from Cyril Smith), her sister-in-law Edie (the wonderful Esma Cannon), and the about to be wed daughter and sailor son-in-law (portrayed well by Bond golden girl Shirley Eaton and Ronald Lewis). Colour is added by haughty niece Daphne (Joy Webster), a Scots sailor pal (the reliable Gordon Jackson), and of course, the nosy neighbour, played to perfection by Thora Hird. Sailor Beware! is much of its time, with Mount at full volume throughout, but is very funny and if not a great film, a good diversion.

This film begins with a sailor by the name of "Albert Tufnell" (Ronald Lewis) arriving at his home port in England to marry his bride "Shirley Hornett" (Shirley Eaton). With Albert is his fellow shipmate "Carnoustie Bligh" (Gordon Jackson) who will serve as his best man. Since the wedding is scheduled for the next day plans have been made for the two of them to stay in another house not far away. However, upon meeting the two sailors Shirley's mother "Emma Hornett" (Peggy Mount) decides that in order to keep a close eye on them that they should spend the night at her house instead. Not particularly concerned about where they sleep, both Albert and Carnoustie defer to Emma. Unforltunately, it isn't long until they come to regret this decision as they discover that she is terribly loud and bossy-and this creates all kinds of trouble for everyone concerned. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, while I didn't have much interest in this film at first, it got pretty funny after about 20 minutes or so. I especially liked the performances of "Cyril Smith" (as Emma's husband "Henry Hornett") and Esma Cannon (as Henry's sister "Edie Hornett") who meekly tolerated the constant streams of criticisms from Emma in comic fashion. Be that as it may, while this movie may not have been a great comedy by any means, it was still entertaining in its own right and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

The title 'Sailor Beware!' suggest a service comedy, but it's really a domestic farce with a preponderance of females dominated by Peggy Mount (whose view of men is that "you can't reason with a man you've gotta train them"), while Gordon Jackson is actually seen sharing a bed with Ronald Lewis, with sweet little Esma Cannon described by Jackson as "the bride of the harem"; while only in the movies could Mount have such a fox for a niece as Joy Webster.

The transfer to the screen is pretty rudimentary so it comes as quite a shock to see that the lighting has been entrusted to Douglas Slocombe and that it was produced by Jack Clayton.

In contrast to the previous commentator, I found this film delightful from beginning to end. A splendid fast and furious script with some rare tear-jerking comedy from excellent performances all-round. This really had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next farce. A simple straightforward domestic story line of newlyweds and a sailors life with mother-in-law Peggy Mount, most definitely at her best in this rare and not to be missed 50's classic. The foreseeable doom of marrying the daughter of a notorious battle axe and living next door becomes all too much for the young sailor who accompanied by his "best man" friend try to tackle ever more confusing situations. This is a film that in its own way describes the foibles of everyday 1950's life. See it if you get a chance as its rarely screened.

British tar Ronald Lewis is to marry Shirley Eaton. Only one thing is standing in their way: her overbearing mother, Peggy Mount.

Miss Mount is the engine, the flywheel, the basis of this comedy. She is also, alas, the thing that kills it dead. With her overbearing, obnoxious, overly loud performance, she makes everyone in movie, and me in the audience, thoroughly miserable. Even as she was making this movie, she was appearing in it on stage, and I can easily imagine it's the same performance, guaranteed to reach the back seats.

There are some fine performers in this movie; an uncredited Michael Caine makes his first movie appearance, and I think I recognize his voice. Other well remembered actors include Gordon Jackson, Thora Hird, George Rose and Alfie Bass. You won't notice any of them, alas, since Miss Mount thoroughly maintains her death grip on the production.

An absolute classic of its time. Peggy Mount is wonderful to observe as she plays the mother in law from hell (you can keep 'Meet The Parents'. Esma Cannon, the classic comedy regular, is a joy as the brow beaten sister in law, as is Cyril Smith as the henpecked husband who tries to find solace with his ferrets on the back yard, he does goes off the rails occasionally, raising Peggy Mounts temper. Also, keep an eye open for Thora Hird playing the archetypal interfering nosey neighbour. If you enjoy and appreciate British classic comedy films then you shouldn't miss this one, anyone who says otherwise is really missing the point and doesn't understand British comedy at all.

While the Americans were churning out witty, urbane and fast moving comedy's, British audiences were treated to this offering. Adapted by a now forgotten screen writer from his own stage play, it was a vehicle for the leather lunged Peggy Mount who bellows at all and sundry. Her husband is a working class cypher, her daughter pretty, but largely irrelevant to the plot, and the two sailors are barely mobile for much of the film. Only the glorious Esmee Cannon, beautifully cast as Mount's spinster sister, and her opposite in all things: physical size, vocal power and popularity, elicits any sympathy from this viewer. There are some good lines , but these do not a 90 minute film make. The stage origins also drag the action down.

I have a nagging suspicion that this farce was already past its sell by date when it was released. I mean, compare it with any of the Boulting Brothers output during this era, and you will see what I mean. The plot has none of the sly social comment often found in films produced at this time. It could be mistaken for a pare-war quota quickie.

There are a number of reasons to pass the time with 'Sailor Beware', but none of them are the plot, acting or production values.

I never thought I'd ever give a film a "1 (awful)" vote on IMDb - surely every film has some redeeming feature that can haul it away from the bottom of the barrel that it is so enthusiastically scraping. Even the "so bad it's good" argument can bump a score up a point or two.

But here it is - without a doubt THE most worthless film I've ever sat through (and as I write this I still wonder that I managed to sit through it at all).

The film's "plot" revolves around the impending marriage of a sailor and how he deals with his fiancée and her family. But to call it a "plot" at all is a little generous. Basically it's nothing more than a vehicle for Peggy mount to shout endlessly. Shirley Eaton and Ronald Lewis blend seamlessly into the grey background as the prospective couple and some fine British "talent" drift in and out and add nothing at all to the film.

No twists, no jokes, precious little story and no redeeming features - just Peggy Mount shouting.

Make time to see this classic British film and see the many stars that would become household names in the 60's and 70's. Peggy Mount dominates the film as the 'dragon' as only she could, stealing every scene she is in, with admirable support from her fellow cast members. This film takes you back to a time when your neighbours were part of your family and your doors were never locked as you had nothing to fear. Portraying what was good and decent in a time when the war was still a recent memory, indeed some rationing was still a part of life, this film shows what was expected of people, respect each other and abide by their standards. Other cast members went on to greater things eg Gordon Jackson{Upstairs Downstairs, The Professionals} and Shirley Eaton and Geoffrey Keen became part of James Bond folklore.

In my opinion one of those lesser known comedies that seen advertised one would pass up.That would be a grate shame as there are some of Britain's classic 1950's comedy actors staring.Peggy mount steals the film she plays as always the "dragon" but as always plays it so well. Life as it was warts and all and a time of morals right or wrong which has passed by.

Based on a hit play of the mid-1950s, SAILOR BEWARE contains a barnstorming performance by Peggy Mount as the dominant mother Emma Hornett. The plot is straightforward: Emma's daughter Shirley (Shirley Eaton) is about to marry sailor Albert (Ronald Lewis), but Albert gets cold feet on the wedding-day. He is only persuaded to agree to the marriage by the vicar Purefoy (Geoffrey Keen). The film is redolent of mid-Fifties attitudes towards marriage and the family, where women stayed at home and looked after their husbands, while the men's sole responsibility was to bring home the wages and ensure there was sufficient finances for the family to survive. Produced by Jack Clayton - who was later to become the director of classics such as ROOM AT THE TOP and THE INNOCENTS - SAILOR BEWARE contains a positive gallery of character cameos, from Esma Cannon as Emma's put-upon sister-in-law, Gordon Jackson as a nervous and sexually naive sailor, Thora Hird as a nosy neighbor, Alfie Bass as an organist more concerned with sneaking a crafty drag at a cigarette, and Cyril Smith as Emma's put-upon husband.

If you love the old British Ealing Studios comedies of the 50's, then this one is for you!!! The main character Emma Hornet played by Peggy Mount is larger than life and absolutely hilarious!!! And her sidekick Edie Hornet played by Esme Cannon is just brilliant as the meek and down-trodden sister-in-law. It's such a simple story with so much comedy from all the players. You have to love this quirky British humor revolving around the wedding of the daughter of Emma Hornet. Heaven help anyone who has a mother-in-law like Peggy Mount!!! I believe this was adapted from a stage play - I'm sure it was great to see it performed live, so long as you got the right actors. This one is worth checking out if you like this era of British film making! There are so many moments that will have you rolling on the floor laughing!!!