Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
| Carlton-Browne of the F.O. | |
|---|---|
UK cinema poster
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| Directed by |
Roy Boulting Jeffrey Dell |
| Produced by | John Boulting |
| Written by | Roy Boulting (screenplay and story) Jeffrey Dell (screenplay and story) |
| Starring |
Terry-Thomas Peter Sellers Luciana Paluzzi |
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Release date
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10 March 1959 (London) |
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Running time
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86 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (U.S. title: Man in a Cocked Hat) is a 1959 British comedy film made by the Boulting Brothers. It centres on an inept Foreign Office (F.O.) diplomat (played by Terry-Thomas) who is sent to re-establish good relations with the mineral-rich island of Gaillardia, a former British colony that has been forgotten for 50 years and is attracting the attention of both the USA and the USSR.
A title sequence prologue details Britain's accidental acquisition of the island Gaillardia during the seventeenth century, the feud between two scions of its royal house and Britain's granting the island self-rule in 1916. However, when independence was granted, the Foreign Office (F.O.) failed to recall its governor, who is still there forty years later. He writes a letter to the F.O. informing them of Russian moves to annex the island's mineral wealth.
After some research to find out where exactly Gaillardia is, the F.O. put the matter in the hands of Carlton-Browne, head of the Department of Miscellaneous Territories - inept, he only got the role due to the distinguished career of his father. He suggests sending out two British geologists under the cover of a British Council Morris dancing troupe putting on a show for the king of Gaillardia. At the show the king is assassinated and his young Oxford-educated son Loris flies out to succeed to the throne - on the flight, travelling incognito as 'Mr Jones', he talks to a beautiful young woman. Carlton-Browne is sent out to see to British interests under the new king, accompanied by his military attaché Colonel Bellingham of the Bays.
Loris and his prime minister Amphibulos stall the British, hoping to start a bidding war between them and the Russians - Amphibulos hopes to get rich, but Loris hopes to modernise his country and benefit its people (Gaillardia's backward standard of living, limited funds and negligible military strength have all been made blindingly obvious at a State Parade held in Loris' honor). The two are then visited by Loris' uncle Grand Duke Alexis and the veiled Princess Ilyena, whom Alexis and his rebels are backing as the true claimant to the throne.
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