English as tuppence, changeless as canal water, nestling in green nowhere, armoured and effete, bold flag-bearer, lotus-fed Miss Havishambling, hermit-crab, tight-fist, eremite, feudal still, reactionary Rawlinson End', - this is the introduction to Vivian Stanshall's priceless film of exquisite lunacy. It will never fit into any category that exists through review - it only lives in the alcohol-sodden haze of Stanshall's delicate genius that occupies the very edge of cinema, but it has a sublime late 70's kilter that will remain in another (very English) universe that makes it so unique. The quaint, twee, psychotic and eccentric upper class elements combine to form an unfathomable tale but the characters knit the insanity together to link an infeasible thread of accidental carnage to a carnal opportunity in the midst of a duck shoot. It doesn't lend to lateral or logical thought but it just is and will always remain an eclectic tale of long lost nuttiness. In the same way that… more »

English as tuppence, changeless as canal water, nestling in green nowhere, armoured and effete, bold flag-bearer, lotus-fed Miss Havishambling, hermit-crab, tight-fist, eremite, feudal still, reactionary Rawlinson End', - this is the introduction to Vivian Stanshall's priceless film of exquisite lunacy. It will never fit into any category that exists through review - it only lives in the alcohol-sodden haze of Stanshall's delicate genius that occupies the very edge of cinema, but it has a sublime late 70's kilter that will remain in another (very English) universe that makes it so unique. The quaint, twee, psychotic and eccentric upper class elements combine to form an unfathomable tale but the characters knit the insanity together to link an infeasible thread of accidental carnage to a carnal opportunity in the midst of a duck shoot. It doesn't lend to lateral or logical thought but it just is and will always remain an eclectic tale of long lost nuttiness. In the same way that 'Withnail & I' was impossible to categorize because of the Englishness of the writing, "Sir Henry" is silly but it will remain always funny because of the blessed ramblings of Viv Stanshall. Trevor Howard and the entire cast offer a feast of freakish behavior and classic dialog that is unlikely to be repeated or duplicated and for this it will always remain a firm personal favorite for its timeless brilliance.