Had found this one of the most hilarious things I had ever seen when originally viewed in the late-1960s/early-1970s and I had wondered for years why it was not shown more regularly on British TV. Finally got to see it again when it was tucked away at 11.00 pm - midnight on pre-Christmas viewing schedule. Having now re-watched it, I now know why it enjoys so few showings as it just does not cut it any more. Tommy Cooper is still hilarious (as he always was) just through his physical presence and personality and Jim Dale's appearances and the effects of these are also amusing. Otherwise, though, there is very little going for it. Most of the gags are so predictable you can see them coming miles away and the added tinned laughter others have commented on is just ghastly. The main problem, I found, though was that the TIMING was just atrocious to modern eyes. Sykes was very obviously trying to recreate ( could one say milk?) the heritage of classic stars such as Chaplin, Lloyd and, above all, Laurel & Hardy but does not come within five miles of their talent, especially the latter pair. I think any modern audience (of any age) will find more hilarity and deep belly laughs in virtually any Laurel &Hardy short than in this offering, which now really does belong in the museum of British comedy on film and is only really suitable for viewings by scholars of the genre and others like me (hence the rating) looking back on a much more innocent age and stage of their lives.

I saw this movie at the cinema long ago. In fact, it was so long ago that the main feature still included a B-movie companion. And here 'The Plank' was it. Oddly; I can remember this, but not the A-movie it supported.Eric Sykes' effort included a who's-who of British comedy from the time. Each of them become involved at some stage or another with this plank of wood in a series of banal set-piece gags. Frankly, I found it childishly contrived even then. Which is probably why I remembered it. Some 20 years later I saw it on television and the stunts were quite painful to behold. Sphincter-puckering is the term.It's a sort-of silent movie. It might even pass for surrealism at times. But the idea doesn't quite work. If the French had done this, I suspect the result would have been an absolute scream. But it's not the kind of concept we Brits are particularly good at. And this is the proof.There's the cream of comic talent at the director's disposal. Any one of several could have a theatre rolling in the aisles; but here they, and their unique skills, are each subordinated to Sykes' old-fashioned brand of predictable variety-hall humour, and they are simply wasted.Although it was released in 1967, it represented a simplistic, juvenile 'take' that had pretty-well run its course 10 years earlier. As nice a bloke as he was, Eric Sykes was a comedian who simply couldn't move with the times. If he were in light entertainment even today, this is still the stuff he would be producing. By 1969 came 'Monty Python', with modern comedians and fresh comedy. Both styles observed back-to-back represent two different generations yet separated by just 2 years.As a chance to play 'spot the comedian' this item is a quiz in itself, but as comedic entertainment it's a bit of a disaster, unless you're under 5 years old. I suspect they'll love it in Albania.

The Plank by Eric Sykes is one of my favourite Comedy Shorts so I was very glad when I found that a DVD version was available - that is until I actually bought one with the intention of replacing my ageing copy of The Plank on VHS tape.Unfortunately I found the DVD was not the version I had gotten used to and despite having Eric Sykes and Jimmy Edwards repeating their TV roles, this DVD seems to be aimed at a cinema audience with an IQ of zero since the film Tittles are accompanied by a stupid laughter sound track which is both overbearing and unnecessary but seems to have been added in case people didn't know they were about to watch a comedy.The DVD is clearly based on the the same script as the TV version available on VHS Cassette but there are many small changes which somehow conspire to cause most of the jokes, which are very funny with the VHS cast, to fall flat and as mentioned before, the sound track irritates rather than complements.I find the VHS version to be extremely funny and if you like British Humour and enjoy trying to name all the people involved, you will find the VHS tape is packed with well known faces from TV, Film and Sport.For me the highlight is Charlie Drake failing to deliver a cake but it's also fun to see Diana Dors sending herself up - as she used to in later life when she lost her slender shape - in fact I just cannot watch this film without getting a very broad grin on my face.It was very disappointing to find this DVD was NOT of the TV production and in my opinion it is an unsympathetic production. Though similar in content to the Charlie Drake version it just doesn't manage to rise to the same level of comedy and the sounds over tittles on the DVD makes me cringe and want to turn it off without even watching it.I genuinely urge anyone who has only known this DVD to try and see the VHS version before concluding that The Plank is not a very funny film indeed

A film such as this shows that something can be funny without resorting to swearing to get a laugh. Also showing in the process that you don't even need to speak to have a giggle. Question: What is the most basic joke on the planet? Answer: Someone slips on a banana skin. For if you have no language, then the joke is funny the world over. This is the reason why characters such as Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean and Charlie Chaplin's tramp are universally popular and why performers like Jerry Lewis and Norman Wisdom are so adored in the countries of France and Albania respectively, when they can't speak a word of Albanian or French.The Plank is a master class in comedy from Messrs Sykes and Cooper. The timing is impeccable throughout and their constant fight not only with the legendary plank but also with their car and all manner of obstacles is hilarious.The cameos are never-ending: Jimmy Edwards, Roy Castle, Jimmy Tarbuck, Hattie Jacques, Bill Oddie! The list goes on and on! One major thing to remember is that there was no script. Let me just repeat that. There was no script! Everything you see was translated straight from Eric Sykes's brain onto film. Here is his explanation in an interview on the South Bank Show, talking to Melvyn Bragg: "How can you write a visual gag? You just can't."(Please feel free to correct me as I'm writing the quote from memory and as such I may have paraphrased.)A comedic film is supposed to make you laugh, does The Plank achieve this? Like heck it does! Hilarious! Riotous! Side splitting!