When the film begins, an elderly man is dying...and he commits a prank on his way out of this world. But it's not his final prank...that comes in his will. When it's read to his four relatives, they're each told they'd receive 50,000 pounds...provided each do something odd and specifically tailored to them. His haughty sister is told that in order to collect, she must become a domestic and serve as one for a year. His cousin, the writer, must act out his dime novels...and get himself incarcerated for 28 days. His meek relative must hold up a bank with a fake gun...and his playboy cousin must marry the first woman with which he strikes up a conversation! And, all of these must be completed without telling anyone why they are doing it! What made this one especially good is that, for the most part, the folks all learned a positive lesson from all this and there were also a few laughs along the way. Worth seeing and clever.

Hugh Griffith is rich British guy Henry Russell. He croaks and leaves his fortune to his family, if they can accomplish certain ironic tasks that they find repulsive. (Griffith was HILARIOUS in "Start the Revolution" in 1970!) Fay Compton had started in the silents and had a long career on stage and film... was in The Haunting. One of Audrey H's early films -- she was only about 22. Only has a small role as a cigarette girl in this one. A whole bunch of "siblings", British actors from way back, who are unfamiliar to most of us. A tad dry, but has a good, steady plot. We watch as the various stories unfold, with varying degrees of success. One just can't get arrested, no matter how hard he tries. Some twists at the end... some are successful in their tasks, some are not. It's entertaining at least. Kind of a precursor to "Easy Money", with Rodney Dangerfield, but this one has a different ending. Directed by Mario Zampi, who worked with writer Michael Pertwee on seven films! Pertwee had written the screenplay for the comedies "A Funny Thing Happened..." in 1966 and "Mouse on the Moon" ! On Turner Classics. Pretty Good !

A nice sly comedy that has similarities to Brewsters Millions. When Henry Russell (Hugh Griffiths) dies, known during his lifetime as a practical joker, he sets his beneficiaries a task that they must achieve before they can gain a share of their inheritance of £50,000. The tasks are related to some character weakness.Alastair Sim who writes thrashy crime stories, long term engaged to Joyce Grenfell has to get himself arrested and spend 28 days in jail. George Cole a hapless and bullied bank clerk as to stick up the bank that he works for.Fay Compton has to work as a maid to the curmudgeonly John Laurie without getting fired. The caddish Guy Middleton has to marry the first single woman he meets.Sim and Cole have the funniest escapades, Middleton passes over a young Audrey Hepburn to pursue the second eligible woman he encounters. The characters discover something about themselves while pursuing their tasks, it is a nice bit of light whimsy.

Any film with Alastair Sim is worth watching, but this must rank as one of his best. Here he really displays his comic genius; his scenes can rightly be described as a masterclass in the art of comedy. Not before time, this has now become available on DVD, although, as yet, only part of a box set. Since Alastair Sim appears in the other films offered, this is not a great drawback. The other main characters in the film are also very good, particularly Fay Compton, and the supporting roles are filled well, with the always reliable Joyce Grenfell giving great satisfaction. The plot, too, is a cut above the usual, and it all adds up to a very satisfying experience, and one which I have watched many times, and hopefully will watch many more times.