With 'Bless This House' proving a hit on ITV, it was inevitable that a feature film spin-off would eventually appear. This 1972 film was written by Dave Freeman and produced by Gerald Thomas, both of which worked with Sid James on the 'Carry On' films. With those credits, it is perhaps unsurprising that 'Bless This House' turned out like one of Gerald Thomas' seaside romps. Not especially a bad thing but all the same it contradicts the television counterpart, which was a family show.

Most of the cast are present and correct. Diana Coupland reprises her role as Sid's wife Jean, as do Sally Geeson as Sid and Jean's scatty daughter Sally and Patsy Rowlands as their nagging neighbour Betty. Peter Butterworth replaces Anthony Jackson as Trevor while Robin Askwith replaces Robin Stewart as Sid and Jean's hippie like son Mike. Terry Scott and June Whitfield play Sid and Jean's new neighbours, Ronald and Vera Baines. Unlike Terry from 'Happy Ever After' and 'Terry & June', Baines is an unlikeable, toffee-nosed twit who takes great delight in winding up Sid.

The film, while not bad, is slightly messy. There is no real plot as such. Mike buys a scrap-pile of a car which doesn't even have the road credibility of a lawn mower, Sally attempts to fight against those who pollute the planet, Jean and Betty attempt to set up a jumble sale stall to sell junk given to them by their neighbours, Sid tries to repair damage he made to his neighbour's house by trying to remove a hideous over-mantle.

The main part of the movie focuses on Mike's relationship with Kate, the Baines' beautiful daughter who ends up getting a job at the same café where Mike is working.

The supporting cast is made up of the likes of Tommy Godfrey, Wendy Richard, George A. Cooper, Janet Brown, Julian Orchard and Frank Thornton. Carol Hawkins plays Kate, who during the '70's was one of the hottest women on the small and big screen. Robin Askwith at this time was to be seen starring in the saucy 'Confessions' movies.

The year after this film went on television, 'Bless This House' was back on television for another series, with Robin Stewart and Anthony Jackson reprising their respective roles. 'Bless This House' at its best was good, saucy, unassuming fun which helps wile away a pleasant hour and a half, though as I pretty much covered before, it is in an entirely different league to the series.

Funniest bit - the 'panama hat' fiasco! I can't do it justice here, but it is a hilarious scene and it cracks me up each time.

The received wisdom is that movie spin-offs from British TV sitcoms are cheap,trashy,low-budget no-brainers and of course it's absolutely true and that's exactly why we love them."Bless this House" wasn't High Art on TV and certainly hasn't "improved" for the big screen,but by golly it's very funny,surely the raison d'etre for all comedy? That much-missed great artist Mr Sidney James is as comfy as an old slipper in the role of good-natured paterfamilias,there is no one even approaching his brilliance on TV or the movies today.One look of exasperation from that wonderfully expressive face would set whole audiences happily snuggling deep into their seats,waiting for the wry grin and the much-loved laugh that was sure to follow. Miss Diana Coupland,who used to be what was referred to as a "chick" or a "chirper" i.e. a singer with touring Dance Bands in the 1950s plays his tolerant and loving wife,who,as in every sitcom,really wears the trousers. The jokes,new and old,mostly,I must confess,old,come thick and fast,delivered with some style by a cast as to the manner born. Nothing "fringe" or "edgy" about this stuff,no one sat for hours trying to write stuff that would entrance Guardian readers but alienate the 99.999% of the rest of us,but lovingly crafted sketches of suburban life by writers aiming at an audience of people who owned Cortinas and Allegros and smoked over a newspaper at breakfast. Sneer at their naivety at your peril.

'Bless This House', created by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, was launched in 1971 and quickly established itself as one of I.T.V.'s biggest-ever sitcom successes. A year later, a spin-off feature film hit cinemas, following the route taken by 'Till Death Us Do Part' and 'On The Buses'. With Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas in charge, it was bound to wind up looking like a 'Carry On', and did. The first and most sensible thing they did was replace boring Robin Stewart with cheeky Robin Askwith as Sid's son 'Mike'. Secondly, they brought in Peter Butterworth to play Sid's friend and next-door neighbour 'Trevor Lewis'. While I liked Anthony Jackson's 'Trevor', Butterworth and Sid are a far more natural comedy team. Thirdly, they had Terry Scott and June Whitfield as the Abbott's new neighbours, 'Ronald' and 'Vera Baines'. Scott's character is not the lovable 'Terry' of 'Happy Ever After/Terry & June', but a pompous snob. These changes benefited the movie enormously, though I wish the Geoff Love theme tune had been retained. Eric Rogers provided the new music.

Dave Freeman's script lacks a central binding plot, consisting mainly of sub-plots such as Mike bringing home a right banger of a car, Jean and Betty running an old junk stall in a local market, Sid's attempts to make wine in a home-made distillery in his shed, Mike getting a job in a fast-food restaurant ( where he meets and falls in love with 'Kate', played by Carol Hawkins of 'The Fenn Street Gang' ),Sid and Jean attempting to conceal the damage they have made to the Baines' lounge whilst attempting to remove an over-mantle, and Sid and Ronald engaging in open warfare of the 'Love Thy Neighbour' sort. Interesting to hear 'Sally' ( Sally Geeson ) expressing concerns for the environment. We could laugh at her in those days. She was dead right though, wasn't she? And she looks great in a bikini!

Some sterling performers in small roles, including George A.Cooper as the owner of the restaurant where Mike works, Bill Maynard as the market owner who has a roving eye, Wendy Richard as a waitress, Johnny Briggs as a lorry driver, Janet Brown ( who was Peter Butterworth's wife ) as their soon-to-leave neighbour, with Julian Orchard as her husband.

Funniest moment - Sid and Ronald turning up late at the church for Mike and Kate's wedding in a fire engine!

Some reviewers have said the film is a useful time capsule of '70's Britain. It is not - Britain was never this nice a place to live. It hardly matters though. 'House' is a pleasant way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.