One Pair of Eyes 1969 Documentary presented by Marty Feldman

[Pranet]

Probably not worth a thread on its own, but I can't figure out where to put this.

This is on iplayer for next month

One Pair of Eyes: Marty Feldman: No, But Seriously...

- blurb says:

"Marty Feldman, for many years a successful comedy writer before turning to performing, explores humour through the people who create it, comparing their traditions, motivations and anxieties with his own.

Among the people Marty talks to are Peter Sellers, Eric Morecambe, Peter Brough and Archie Andrews, Dudley Moore and Barry Took"

It is on youtube but in crappy quality.

(now someone is going to point out to me where this is already being discussed.....)

[poodlefaker]

Some amazing stuff in this. The smoking...he's got one on the go for almost the entire film, even when he's sitting with a bunch of primary schoolkids; the only time he's not smoking is when he's talking to Barry Took, who is.

The schmutter: Johnny Speight's camel overcoat, Marty's three-quarter length sheepskin, Dudley Moore's...mink? Rabbit? Peter Sellars (sheepskin carcoat) looking remarkably like Steve Coogan. The house he buys at the end.

Someone said on another thread how Marty's not really remembered - he came from the trad comedy world then worked with all the Oxbridge lads, but I guess they never thought of him as one of them.

[Barry Admin]

This is absolutely worth a thread.

Saw it in Bradford with @ApexJazz when we were there for the Four Lions premiere.

Absolutely fascinating documentary, I really need to see it again, and can enthusiastically recommend it.

[poodlefaker]

He certainly comes across as an engaging, groovy, cool, knowledgeable guy, but I get the feeling that if I watched a random show of his for the BBC or ITV from around this time it wouldn't be great.

[steveh]

Feldman's autobiography is worth a read. So many shows he mentions that he wrote for ended up being wiped though.

[lauraxsynthesis]

That was a great watch. What an era - just on the cusp of Monty Python and with the old guard still relevant/at the peak of their powers. I wish we could have seen him and Baron von Took actually at work, but the insights we did get, particularly Marty's reflections about how they work together, were super enlightening. Sellers enthusiasm for the Goon characters and their interactions was delightful. It was wonderful to see Marty geeking out over other performers eg "Frankie Howerd has the gaffer" etc. I  don't think you'd get comics talking about other comics in a documentary so unselfconsciously now. They'd all be like Moore is here - aware of their own place in the pantheon.

I don't think I've seen Morecambe as unguarded as he is here. He's ever so likeable. Clearly has an oral fixation with that pipe. 

The points made about feature film vs tv comedy technicalities were all new to me and pretty convincing so probably correct?

Marty seemed a likeable sort. Very snazzy dresser, too. Was it just comedy writing that enabled him to buy that total palace at the end or did his wife have money?

[FredNurke]

Someone said on another thread how Marty's not really remembered - he came from the trad comedy world then worked with all the Oxbridge lads, but I guess they never thought of him as one of them.

Worth pointing out that John Cleese thought so highly of him that he was responsible for getting him in front of the camera for At Last The 1948 Show - Feldman's first significant appearance as a performer.

[SpiderChrist]

Just finished watching this. Nothing of any significance to add to what folks have already written, other than to wholeheartedly recommend it.

Was the Sellers interview filmed on the set of The Magic Christian?

[wrec]

Watched the fuzzy YouTube version, still very enjoyable.

Some amazing stuff in this. The smoking...he's got one on the go for almost the entire film, even when he's sitting with a bunch of primary schoolkids; the only time he's not smoking is when he's talking to Barry Took, who is.

The schmutter: Johnny Speight's camel overcoat, Marty's three-quarter length sheepskin, Dudley Moore's...mink? Rabbit? Peter Sellars (sheepskin carcoat) looking remarkably like Steve Coogan. The house he buys at the end.

Some of the most successful performers of their era and their life involves going around an overcast London in an animal hide reeking of fags. Alarming to note how many of that generation (Chapman being another) died young from various combinations of booze, fags and overwork.

Reminded that besides Dr. Strangelove and maybe Being There, I really don't get Sellers. Like Cook and Milligan he always seems to be presented as constantly radiating instinctive comic genius and general charisma, but then he's just doing an Indian accent or something (I realise this may be reductive).

Hadn't heard of the series and assumed that "One Pair of Eyes" specifically referred to Feldman!

[lauraxsynthesis]

Was the Sellers interview filmed on the set of The Magic Christian?

Possibly I Love You Alice B Toklas. That's the one he mentioned, though the costume didn't remind me of it.

[Ignatius_S]

Just finished watching this. Nothing of any significance to add to what folks have already written, other than to wholeheartedly recommend it.

Was the Sellers interview filmed on the set of The Magic Christian?

Yes. Presumably that's the platform that Victor Maddern is attempting to sell hot dogs from and from what I remember of the film, that's the same type of locomotive.

Although Sellers isn't wearing the moustache that Guy has in the film, the hair style is identical.

[poodlefaker]

Hadn't heard of the series and assumed that "One Pair of Eyes" specifically referred to Feldman!

Yeah, there's another episode on i-player with Georgia Brown and Lionel Bart