John Betjeman - Indoor Games near Newbury

John Betjeman reads his poem to the accompaniment of Jim Parker's music in a dramatisation starring Eric Morecambe.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Sir
• John
• Betjeman
• Newbury
• Eric
• Morecambe
• Indoor
• Games
• Jim
• Parker
• lagonda

[redcrowdemon]

Double-whammy! I was googling for 'Indoor games..' and ended up with Eric Morecambe as well, playing 'funny uncle' (perfect casting!). Well done for finding this, and big thanks for uploading it.

[questoabrigado]

@redcrowdemon - perfect casting indeed. A really good dramatisation here , so much better than the Nigel Hawthorne one. There is more. Susannah York in Lenten Thoughts , Peter Cook in Seaside Golf , Beryl Reid in Invasion Exercise... Oh , for someone to re-release them!

[questoabrigado]

This video is from a BBC DVD which has this poem as an extract from the TV program which contained other poems with Jim Parker acompaniment. I think it also included Susannah York , Peter Sellers, but it wasn't a BBC production. There's confusion between that and a video released called 'Betjeman's Britain' which is very poor. Inspired choice of Eric Morecambe as 'your funny uncle'.

[HerbyPumpkin]

This is a perfect film.

Quite very Beautiful.

With Perfect casting.

And Heavenly Music.

But surely Everlasting.

[AcridPeter]

Alright for some, isn't it ...

Let them eat cake

[ninjatoolkit]

Wendy, bending, gives a blessing.

[cgkstevenson]

@edmund184 - it is a BBC DVD called Summoned by Bells. This particular bit is an extra, and you can see the details if you stop this video and pause it right at the beginning.

[edmund184]

@questoabrigado Just out of interest can you tell me what the DVD is called, I'd like to get it.

[adekea]

Brilliant stuff! I always read that poem as written from a child's point of view, however ageing up the characters actually seems to work in this film.

[paycellvideo]

This is just wonderful. Thank you for posting this. I have looked for this for years as i remember seeing it when it was first broadcast. It has a lot of meaning to me personally. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[arosegrowingold]

Betjeman,Eric Morecambe and Christmas nostalgia in June

What a perfect five minutes - thank you for posting this rare gem

[jrspigot]

I have this DVD as well. I also have a personal copy of the original Anglia TV program which I am not allowed to show, copy,lend etc. The version I have is slightly different to this but also has others and Sir JB at the end of it. The director/producer also made another set which went out as a short film in the cinema. He has been considering re-releasing them all but I understand it's an expensive business getting the film cleaned and reproduced. A shame since I would really like to see it.