IMDb RATING
8.0/10
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At Miss Sophie's 90th birthday dinner, her butler James must fill in for her four departed friends - and that includes lots of drinks before every course.At Miss Sophie's 90th birthday dinner, her butler James must fill in for her four departed friends - and that includes lots of drinks before every course.At Miss Sophie's 90th birthday dinner, her butler James must fill in for her four departed friends - and that includes lots of drinks before every course.
- Directors
- Writers
- Peter Frankenfeld(uncredited)
- Freddie Frinton(uncredited)
- Lauri Wylie(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt first, the program was only used as a filler on German TV. It was shown four times between 1963 and 1972 before it finally got its now famous regular airing on New Years Eve in 1972. It is so popular in Germany that it is shown multiple times on New Years Eve so that everybody can watch it, when it best fits their schedule. In 2003 it aired a total of 19 times on different stations in Germany.
- GoofsAfter James burps, Miss Sophie takes hold of her chair's armrests probably in anticipation of James almost tipping her chair backwards.
- Quotes
[last lines]
James: By the way... Same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?
Miss Sophie: Same procedure as every year, James.
James: [hesitates] Well, I'll do my very best!
[They rush up the stairs to the bedroom]
- Alternate versionsSeveral versions of this sketch were recorded/broadcast or released on DVD/video:
- the original B&W version with an audience as produced by Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in 1963. 18 minutes
- a changed B&W version where an english spelling error in the intro narration was digitally removed. Shown on German TV since the end of the 90s.
- a changed B&W version without the audience sound. Shown by Danish TV who also omit the introductory narration, bringing the sketch to a 14 minutes runtime
- a computer colorized version produced by the NDR in 1999. Due to massive protest from fans this version is almost never shown
- an alternative B&W version as produced by Swiss TV. This version has no intro narration and misses some gags. This version can be recognized by the much simpler set decoration (no table cloth, smaller/simpler pictures on the walls, much smaller stairs). Released on DVD in Germany. Runtime 11 minutes. Has been shown on Swiss television since 1989 on New Years Eve.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Das Superweib (1996)
Featured review
A 'classic' in convention visual comedy/humour
This title is relatively unknown in Australia, but as someone who has studied comedy for 40 years and taught gifted students about it as a form of expression, communication and development of the comic conventions and constructs used in various forms of 'standard' literature, I consider that this film can be considered as one that stands out in its own field as a latter-day 'standard' of classic comic form and execution.
In some ways it falls into the same category as films from the great Silent Era in Hollywood (e.g. the works of Sennett and Chaplin), the W C Fields' "The Great Chase" and Eric Syke's "The Plank" - but it also equates in some ways with Oscar Wilde's comedy (e.g. "The Importance of Being Ernest") - all are great examples of mixing visual activity, remarkable energy, the innuendo and the written and/or spoken word.
In some ways it falls into the same category as films from the great Silent Era in Hollywood (e.g. the works of Sennett and Chaplin), the W C Fields' "The Great Chase" and Eric Syke's "The Plank" - but it also equates in some ways with Oscar Wilde's comedy (e.g. "The Importance of Being Ernest") - all are great examples of mixing visual activity, remarkable energy, the innuendo and the written and/or spoken word.
helpful•80
- ajohnp
- May 3, 2006
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The 90th Birthday, or Dinner for One
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime18 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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