A Weekend with Lulu


A Weekend with Lulu is a 1961 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, produced by Michael Carreras and Ted Lloyd and starring Bob Monkhouse, Leslie Phillips, Alfred Marks, Shirley Eaton and Irene Handl. The screenplay was by Ted Lloyd. Brian Wert and Ken Hodges were the cameramen, John Howell was Art Director and Chris Sutton was Assistant Director. The film was filmed from October 6, 1960 through December 10, 1960. It opened in Halifax on April 10, 1961, to good business. The British print ran 2 minutes shorter than the American release print.

Plot

Young couple Timothy and Deirdre plan a romantic weekend on the coast in a caravan, called "Lulu", owned by the brother of their pal Fred dand which Fred will tow with his ice cream van, as he will be working selling ice cream over the weekend. When Deirdre's mother insists on going along as her daughter's chaperone, Timothy's plans are somewhat compromised. Then a train ferry mix-up lands the holidaymakers deep in France without passports or money. As they try to get back to England, they encounter a variety of problems, and end up being pursued across country by the French police.
They end at the Chateau de Chant Claire where the Comte shows his wine cellars.
They discover they can fly out from Trouville for £25 but need to raise the cash. Fred takes bets in a local bar on the local leg of the Tour de France. Fred steals the stake money and they run off pursued by locals.
However a French motorcycle cop mistakes the ice cream van and escorts them to the airport and they escape.

Cast

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Despite an abundance of those caricatures of Frenchmen that say less about behaviour across the Channel than about the subconscious of people on this side of it, here is another rowdy episodic British farce, essaying the patterns that have generally proved money-making in the past. In a wasteland of tired leering humour, only Graham Stark's zany miming and Irene Handl's tottering gentility stand out."
Britmovie called the film a "Breezy farce spiced with Gallic wisecracks...Bob Monkhouse, Leslie Phillips and Alfred Marks play off each other energetically, whilst Irene Handl is wonderful as the interfering busybody."
TV Guide gave it two out of four stars, calling it "An enjoyable comedy."