Having recently survived the presidential election of 2024, it is impossible to not think of that when watching 1959 UK comedy Left Right and Centre.  The candidates for office in this are an educated and intelligent woman running for the liberals, while the conservatives rally around a buffoon of a man who is famous only for being successful on television.  In another analogy to the present day, her education is actually used against her as a liability instead of being treated like an asset.

Ian Carmichael is the Tory, or conservative, candidate for Parliament.  He was a scientist of some sort who once returned from an expedition to Antarctica only to find himself mysteriously popular on the recurring panel of a game show called What on Earth Was That?  He seems to have found his calling on that program, being able to correctly identify the most obscure of sounds.

Patricia Bredin is the Labour, or liberal, candidate.  This daughter of a fishmonger is a graduate of The London School of Economics which, judging from the Tory reaction, must have been the modern equivalent of a “woke” institution. 

The two candidates just happen to be seated across from each other on the train to Earndale, which is the seat for which they are both running.  At first, neither recognizes the other, though she will gradually realize who he is, and unwittingly gathers some info which will be damaging in future debates.  Still, she gave him fair warning by asking whether it was wise to confide so freely to somebody he doesn’t know. 

One thing she confides to him is her loathing of the “trash written for women’s magazines.”  An example she reads him of such tripe has a woman falling in love at first sight, hearing the tintinnabulation of tiny bells.  That is a word I have never encountered before, and which I can’t imagine working into my vocabulary.

Though unmarried, each has a romantic partner, and I doubt anybody would lament either coupling ending suddenly.  Carmichael is the more unfortunate, as he is stuck with Moyra Fraser, who is more infatuated with his political future than with this straw man who might become an MP.  Bredin has a likeable boyfriend in bodybuilder Jack Hedley, though no prizes will be given to anybody who suspects that man might be better partnered with Fraser.

Another unlikely pairing in this film are the campaign managers of Carmichael and Bredin, played by Richard Wattis and Eric Barker, respectively.  These two begin conspiring behind-the-scenes when they find their respective candidates hindered by their feelings towards each other.  It is rather easy to read the budding friendship between the managers being more substantial than what we’re shown.  My wife commented she was surprised by this bromance, while I was wondering if “bro” was the appropriate prefix.

Rounding out the cast is Alastair Sim as Carmichael’s uncle, a lord who has turned the family castle and grounds into a tacky tourist attraction.  Sim excels in this kind of part, as a greedy cad who is always ready with a mischievous grin.  I was not surprised to see the attractions included a nudist camp, and the amusements indoors include a nickelodeon upon which one can view something titled Sex in 3D.  When we first see Sim, he’s repairing a slot machine which has been paying out too much, something which says a great deal about his character.  He is the one who had been floating his nephew’s name out there for the election, and he did so only for the potential for even more revenue opportunities.

Left Right and Centre is a solid comedy, but about average for that era of such works from the UK.  Many of the jokes register as such without actually producing a laugh, yet that alone can sometimes be enough.  Rare moments were deeply hilarious, such as Sim disguised as a headless ghost, whom we see punching in at a timeclock, fake head under one arm.  Our leads don’t have very strong defining characteristics, but are likeable enough to make us root for them to get together.  Now if only this most recent US election in real life had ended with the candidates falling deeply for each other.  I doubt anybody would have anticipated that.

Dir: Sidney Gilliat

Starring Ian Carmichael, Patricia Bredin, Alastair Sim, Richard Wattis

Watched on Powerhouse/Indicator blu-ray