Barry McKenzie Holds His Own * (1974, Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Donald Pleasence, Dick Bentley) – Classic Movie Review 12,485

The 1974 Aussie comedy film Barry McKenzie Holds His Own is the silly sequel to the 1972 hit The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, with Edna Everage (Barry Humphries) being mistaken for the Queen and snatched off to Transylvania. 

Director Bruce Beresford’s 1974 comedy film Barry McKenzie Holds His Own is the half-wit sequel to his 1972 hit The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, with Edna Everage (Barry Humphries) being snatched off to Transylvania, plus Bazza and his identical brother Kevin (Barry Crocker in two roles) to the rescue.

Returning home to Australia from England, Barry McKenzie (Barry Crocker) and his Aunt Edna are mistaken for HM the Queen by two henchmen of Count Plasma (Donald Pleasence), who kidnap Edna on a stopover in Paris. Barry, his identical twin brother the Reverend Kevin McKenzie, Col ‘The Frog’ (Dick Bentley) and his other ex-patriate mates head a team of Australian agents to parachute into Transylvania and rescue Edna.

Director Beresford came a long way since these days, as did Dame Edna, who became so famous that she would never have been mistaken for HM the Queen.

The then Prime Minister of Australia, Gough Whitlam, and his wife Margaret Whitlam, make cameo appearances as themselves to greet Barry and Edna when they return home from Transylvania to Australia and PM Whitlam makes Edna a dame.

Barry Crocker is returning from The Adventures of Barry McKenzie in the title role, as well as Barry Humphries as Barry’s aunt Edna, and Bruce Beresford as director.

The movie is entirely funded by Australian entrepreneur and media mogul Reg Grundy. Shooting began in February 1974, mostly on location in England, Wales and Paris, with some studio work in London. Aunt Edna’s home movie footage was shot at Palm Beach, Sydney, in December 1973.

The cast are Barry Crocker as Barry McKenzie/ Kevin McKenzie, Barry Humphries as Senator Douglas Manton/Edna Everage/Meyer de Lamphrey/buck-toothed Englishman. Donald Pleasence as Count Plasma, Dick Bentley as Col ‘The Frog’ Lucas, Ed Devereaux as Sir Alec Ferguson, Roy Kinnear as Bishop of Paris Don Spencer as quizmaster, Frank Windsor as police sergeant, Deryck Guyler as police constable, Arthur English as cockney spiv, Desmond Tester as Marcel Escargot, John Le Mesurier as Robert Crowther, Tommy Trinder as Arthur McKenzie Chantal Contouri as Zizi, and Clive James as Paddy.

The deliriously funny Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist Barry Humphries (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) made quite a few films but is of course best known for writing and playing his stage and TV characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.

From the late 1960s Humphries appeared in numerous films, including Bedazzled (1967), The Bliss of Mrs Blossom, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), Percy’s Progress (1974), The Great Macarthy (1975), Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974), Side by Side (1975), The Getting of Wisdom (1977). Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Shock Treatment.

Humphries also appeared in Dr Fischer of Geneva (1985), Howling III (1987),  Selling Hitler (1991), Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1995), Immortal Beloved (1994),  The Leading Man (1996), Spice World, Welcome to Woop Woop (1997), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (1982), A Night of Comic Relief 2 (1989), Les Patterson Saves the World, Finding Nemo, and The Hobbit.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,485

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