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Anglophiles and Britcom aficionados will welcome the video of this delightful 1974 series based on the books by Charlotte Bingham. Happily, the sparkling dialogue and engaging characters wear much better than the actors horribly dated 70s wardrobes. John Alderton and his real-life wife, Pauline Collins, star as C.D.and Clara, the George Burns and Gracie Allen of Hampstead, right down to the "Say goodnight, Clara" that closes each episode.
This boxed set contains the first seven episodes of the series. Episode 1 sets the stage as C.D.and Clara, who have been married, Clara notes, "nearly 10 years next Thursday a week on Monday," recall how they met at "Freddies awful party." Framed by the couples light banter, each of these episodes flashback chronologically to their often comically confused courtship and marriage. Oddly enough, we do not see them joined in (again, Claras words) "holy deadlock," but instead join C.D.and Clara as they embark on their honeymoon and endeavor to keep their newly married status a secret (why they keep it a secret is a bit unclear) by pretending to be a boring, frustrated long-married couple.
"Life with Clara," C.D. observes at one point, "is not a bowl of cherries, its a dish of blouse buttons." And in less expert hands, Clara could get tiresome quickly ("I tend to get things rather muddled," she confesses early on), but Pauline Collins (perhaps best known for her signature role as Shirley Valentine) plays her with a mischievous twinkle that make her leaps of illogic endearing. She particularly shines in episode 4, in which she resists C.D.s efforts to make her dress more fashionably than like "the remnant of a disbanded folk group." --Donald Liebenson
Rate Points :5.0
Binding :VHS Tape
Label :Acorn Media
Manufacturer :Acorn Media
ProductGroup :Video
Studio :Acorn Media
Publisher :Acorn Media
UPC :054961322732
EAN :9781569383223
Price :$39.95USD
Customer ReviewsOh, Honestly!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :3
This show is very seventies and in my opinion, very good! The characters, CD and Clara recount the events leading up to their marriage. Clara is as cute as a whip and a bit scatterbrained and CD is most understanding and usually the recipient of all the disasters that befall them. A most entertaing show that really is funny in a nice clean sort of way. I give this show two wrenchs up!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :6
No, Honestly is a wonderfully funny British comedy showcasing the comedic talents of Pauline Collins and John Alderton as two young people who meet, fall in love, and eventually marry. The viewer is presented with a tour-de-force of wit and hilarity, as we see Charles (John Alderton), a struggling young actor and Clara (Pauline Collins) a kind of British Gracie Allen, look back fondly on their early days together through comical flashbacks that include football teams, parties, parents, friends, and the sometimes bewildering process of falling truly, madly, unexpectedly in love. No, Honestly will prove a delightful and very popular addition to any community library video entertainment collection.
Very Cute
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :2
I saw these shows on public TV several years ago, and I fell in love with this couple. The girlfriend is extremely daffy, and her beau is a laid back kind of guy. I am pleased to find that they are on video.
Fabulous vintage British TV comedy at its best!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
No-Honestly was definitely one of the best comedy series of the 1970s starring one of the most popular married couples in TV at the time - Pauline Collins and John Alderton - fresh from the award-winning success of Upstairs, Downstairs
No Honestly was done in a most entertaining format - both would introduce the show each week with reminiscing about when they first met and eventually married - ten years earlier. The stories were witty, entertaining and extremely funny - Pauline particularly being very adept at comedy. These shows were written by another famous and well-loved married couple who were great Writers Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham.
Unfortunately, despite its tremendous success and popularity, this would be the only series of No-Honestly ever to be made. It is unsure as to whether any more were ever intended, since the couple were notorious for always moving on to something new rather than sticking at what was successful for them at the time and this was probably due more to the fact that back then, whatever they did worked. Having said all that, if one takes particular notice of the final episode, there are some hints that the series perhaps would not be coming back for a second season, when Pauline Collins attempts to avoid saying goodnight for the very last time, but ends up saying goodbye in several different languages instead, and then goes on to sing along to the popular theme song - which at the time had also become one of the most popular TV themes, and was currently riding high in the top ten as a big hit for the popular Singer Lindsey de Paul who had written and composed the theme.
Surprisingly, this series has never been released in the United Kingdom - on either Video or DVD in its entirety, but only three episodes ever appeared on Video from the thirteen shows that were done back in the early 90s for a very limited period. The whole series was however released in the USA where surprisingly the couple had also become household names - but these were only available on Video, and to date, have never been re-issued on DVD.
This series was strangely issued in two halves - seven episodes in the first box set, and the remaining six on the second. For some reason, the company Acorn Media removed the Ad. Bumpers on the first set, but oddly these were retained in the second set.
This show also includes one or two familiar faces - including a surprise guest appearance of the great film star Vladek Sheybal.
Classic vintage TV comedy encapsulating the 1970s in all its glory and at its best.
Fabulous stuff!
fantastic video series finally on video!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :4
I remember watching No, Honestly in the 70s and I have been looking for these videos for years! It is great that they have finally been released. Pauline Collins is terrific! These videos are highly recommended!
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