Cinema_Fan England was writhe with crime, in the cinematic sense, toward the end of the decade that had brought us Glitter Rock and Punk Rock. Toward the end of the Seventies and with the crossover into the Eighties, prison movies were to include the brutal Scum (1979), the Houdini exploits of McVicar (1980), and not forgetting the vicious ladies known as Scrubbers (1983), these Made In Britain misfits are amongst the serious and uncompromising hardcore collection of the riffraff prison underclass of that time.This era's theme of imprisonment had also been the subject of light relief and comic substance, to the happy go lucky tune of life's misplaced souls that were doing Porridge, (as the movies American title suggests Doing Time): the English term for being imprisoned, you were "Banged to Rights" you were "Doing Time" and "Doing Porridge".Nineteen seventy-four saw the release of British comedy sitcom Porridge; written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, this later turned into the spin-off movie of the same name. Fundamentally an extension of the early seventies comedy show, we have the enduring and ever wistful Norman Stanley Fletcher, with his unforgiving contempt for authority and the establishment alike. The two writers here have not deviated from his original persona; a charm and charisma that transcends from television play and onto the movie screen, with his wise old owl intellect that knows best and never throws caution to the wind. Though the script is the classic all-round family entertainment variety, the actual storyline is somewhat basic and considering the genre here, apt.Richard Beckinsale (1947 - 1979), as Lennie Godber, father to the beautiful Kate Beckinsale, born 1973, of Underworld (2003) and Van Helsing (2004), fame sadly passed away shortly after the making of Porridge, of a heart attack. While too young, his legacy has been passed on through his daughter, he would have been extremely proud to have seen her accomplishments. The world of light entertainment would never be quite what it was without him. Porridge is awash with the best of British, such as Fulton Mackay (1922 - 1987), Brian Wilde, Derek Deadman, Ken Jones and of course the greatest modern English comedy writer and actor the late Ronnie Barker (1929 - 2005).This extension of the small screen had to have direction that was capable of retaining the attention span of an audience used to only the weekly half hour shows. The big screen adaptation is classic British cinema; the titters and chuckles among the theatregoers is only contagious. Humour abound, with its pessimistic and anti-establishment overtones that, while nonconformist, only reminds these prisoners of their individual plight. Here we see the pecking order of the hierarchy that are the building blocks of any modern day society. With its top dog Grouty, with his bodyguards Samson and Delilah, then there are the gofers, the go for this and go for that, the illiterates and we have the young and naive first offender Rudge, played here by Daniel Peacock, for example. In between this, we have the officers, just as misfit and imprisoned, though physiologically, as their jailbird counterparts. All bound together by a very wonderfully sharp and intelligent script, bringing about the adage sarcasm is the lowest from of wit, well this is not sarcastic humour, nor is this toilet humour, this is well written and thought out superlative comical fun. Any wonder then that during 1980 Porridge had won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Comedy.

RICHARDBLACK80 What a quality movie this is. I like this film so much that I would actually put this in my top ten movies ever (and I've watched a hell of a lot of films). I first watched this over one Christmas when I was a child when video players had first come out in the UK and my Dad bought a whole load of pirate videos back from his local boozer (about 1983).I saw this before I had experienced any of the brilliant series of porridge which is also very good. As said in previous comments a lot of these TV spin off either try and take the characters completely out of their environment (Are you being served, Holiday on the Buses or George and Mildred) or just rehash every funny joke from the original series (Rising Damp is an example). There is no amazing story to this film just a chain of events that lead to the bungled escape by Oakes who takes Fletch and Godber along with him and then their attempt to break back into prison. The jokes and various stories are all new and just as you think that it maybe running out of steam we have thirty minutes of them on the outside (but still not out of their environment as the theme is still the same). Even the soundtrack is really good with Joe Browns excellent 'Inside' (think thats what its called) and the opening credits, Neilsons 'Without you'. With Clement and Le Frenais you feel that they have thought through the whole story process and developed the story properly. The only other spin off I could probably say the same about is the Likely Lads which is also very good. The major criticism this film comes in for is that it came after the sequel series 'Going Straight' and there some confusion to whether the characters had ended up back in prison. I just see it as another story from when they where in nick. Simple.

nmk2002uk Finally got this on disk the other month. And it was worth the wait. As an avid Porridge and Ronnie Barker fan, I thought the film done justice to a really funny series. Other movie spin offs have been mundane(On the Buses, for example), but this one was well written and well acted. Starring the original cast from the series (apart from Christopher Biggins), it continued Norman Stanley Fletcher's fight against the system. Even though it did contain a couple of jokes from the program, its a mere overlook to a really funny film. Even Fletcher with his little scams (McKays teeth bein gone example) have trasferred well to the big screen version. This is one film you wouldn't want to do time!

CharltonBoy What is odd about this film is that i didnt know it existed.There are many spin off films made from British Comedy series's such as Steptoe and Son , On The Buses and Are You Being Served all of which are shown at christmas at far too shorter intervals and all are far inferior to the actual TV shows. Porridge is different. This has hardly ever been seen on TV and is very funny , even funnier than the TV series. Ronnie Barker has a fantastic knack of comedy timing. When he delivers the punch lines you cant help but smile or in the case of this film laugh out loud. The film is very true to the programme and has all the characters we have grown to love over the years.The story is nothing spectacular but it does not need to be because the interaction between wardens and lags is what makes the film. This is one of the best comedy series to film i have ever seen. 8 out of 10.