The Prisoner of Spenda

8.45pm - 4th January 1975

"I'm Count Yerackers"

"Count your what?"

DVD UK

DVD US

21 min Colour

The Stars
	Sid James Barbara Windsor Peter Butterworth Joan Sims Kenneth Connor Jack Douglas David Lodge Rupert Evans Diana Langton Ronnie Brody	Prince Rupert, Arnold Basket Vera Basket, The Grand Duchess Ingrid of Coronia Count Yerackers Madame Olga Nikoff Colonel Yakoff Duke Boris Major Tsana Waiter

The Crew
Screenplay Producer Director	Dave Freeman Peter Eton Ronnie Baxter

Synopsis

This is a parody of The Prisoner of Zenda and the script is full of terrible puns and one-liners, the characterisations are hardly more than conduits for corny puns and humour. The cast are the only injection of quality into this episode.

Sid, playing a similar character to that he played on Bless This House, a slightly watered down version of his Carry On persona. Barbara gives a sparkling comic performance as the slightly naīve yet saucy wife of Sid., bubbling over with grinning, sexual energy. The briefly seen Kenneth Connor is superb as a saboteur. Peter Butterworth and Jack Douglas take on the roles from the classic Ronald Colman interpretation of the film.

The script by Dave Freeman is workman-like in trying to recapture the spirit of the films, with the likes of Joan Sims poorly served with her seductive Russian dialogue.