Review of Porridge (1979) by Thomas B — 10 Mar 2013

After the success of the TV series Porridge, which ran on the BBC from 1974 to 1977, creators Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais were offered the chance to make a film of it by Lew Grade. They agreed, with Clement directing and La Frenais producing.

It's one of the very few TV to film transfers that actually works, and it's buoyed by a good cast, good humour and some great observations by the characters. Set in Slade Prison in Cumbria, and regular prisoners Norman Stanley Fletcher (Ronnie Barker) and Lennie Godber (Richard Beckinsale) take in new inmate Rudge (Daniel Peacock), and they're impressed by his talents at football, and they put him forward for the prison team in a football match against celebrities, however violent criminal Grouty (Peter Vaughan) uses the match to get violent robber Oakes (Barrie Rutter) out of prison, using the coach the celebrities came in on.

However, Fletcher and Godber witness what Oakes is up to, and they end up being taking hostage on the coach. But, they manage to get away, and try to find a way of getting back INTO Slade Prison. It has good characters and a good plot, plus unlike most other sitcom to film transfers, creators Clement and La Frenais had complete control over this one, and it's a success as they have great characters and a good story too.