Not Quite the Best of Benny
Made in 1974 "The Best of Benny Hill" is a compilation of sketches taken from the first eleven episodes of The Benny Hill Show, in particular those episodes produced and directed by John Robins.
Like so many Brits growing up in the 70s and 80s Benny Hill was a big part of my childhood with his seaside postcard style humour which admittedly had me in laughter as a child. But 30 years on from when I probably last watched one of Benny Hill's comedy shows I have to admit my tastes have unsurprisingly changed and some of that seaside humour almost had the opposite effect on me than it use to. As such maybe "The Best of Benny Hill" will still entertain an older audience who long for the past but for those who watched this as kids it may not be the nostalgic trip they wished for with those frequent sketches surrounding Benny trying it on with women in lingerie.
Whether or not all of the humour now works for you it is had to deny that Benny Hill was a masterful comedian who was brilliant at the visual humour and had such wonderful timing that the silent sketches he did to music were brilliant. And what is also clear is that Hill loved what he was doing as can be seen in some of the clips where he can barely keep a straight face as of course he knows what is coming.
What this all boils down to is that "The Best of Benny Hill" is not going to be for everyone, even those who have warm memories of Benny Hill as a child may find themselves questioning why. But even if some of the humour now leaves you a bit bemused there is still a pleasure to be had from watching Benny Hill as he had such great timing and a wonderfully cheeky smile.
Tags: British TV Shows & Their Movies
