Dentist in the Chair *** (1960, Bob Monkhouse, Peggy Cummins, Kenneth Connor, Eric Barker, Ronnie Stevens, Reginald Beckwith, Vincent Ball) – Classic Movie Review 9785

Director Don Chaffey’s amusing 1960 British black and white comedy Dentist in the Chair stars Bob Monkhouse and Ronnie Stevens as David Cookson and Brian Dexter, young dental-school students who become embroiled with petty criminal Sam Field (Kenneth Connor), who leaves them holding dental equipment valued at thousands of quid, which they now need to dump before the cops find it.

Monkhouse and Stevens are entertaining in a sometimes funny farce in the Carry On-style, though it is the jolly turns in support (especially Reginald Beckwith, Eleanor Summerfield and Avril Angers) that contribute most of the laughs.

Monkhouse had a hand with additional scenes in the then relevant screenplay by Val Guest, adapted from the book Dentist in the Chair by Matthew Finch.

It was a comedy hit of the day. Dentist on the Job [Get On with It] followed in 1961.

Also in the cast are Peggy Cummins, Eric Barker, Reginald Beckwith, Vincent Ball, Eleanor Summerfield, Stuart Saunders, Ian Wallace, Peggy Simpson, Avril Angers, Jean St Clair, Charlotte Mitchell, Philip Gilbert, Jeremy Hawk, Harry Hutchinson, Alfred Dean, Sheree Winton, Michael Fry, Michael Hawkins, David Glover, Anthony Bate, Rowena Cooper, and Larry Burns.

Dentist in the Chair is directed by Don Chaffey, runs 88 minutes, is made by Ostrer, Governor, and Briand Film Productions, is released by Renown Pictures Corporation (1960) (UK) and Ajay Film Company (1961) (US), is written by Val Guest, Bob Monkhouse (additional scenes) and George Wadmore (additional scenes), adapted from the book Dentist in the Chair by Matthew Finch, is shot in black and white by Reginald H Wyer, is produced by Bertram M Ostrer and is scored by Ken Jones.

It is made at made at Pinewood Studios, , Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England. There was also location filming at King Edward VII Hospital, St Leonards Road, Windsor, Berkshire, England, standing in for King Alfred’s Training School.

It was released in the UK on 12 August 1960.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9785

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