I have watched this film over the years again and again and my two sons have grown up with it. I have been a fan of gorgeous Stuart Wilson since I saw him in The Strauss Family and loved him ever since. The film is a mixture of comedy,tragedy and black comedy. All the characters are stuck in an unsatisfying rut of different types of frustration and disappointment with their lives. The films unique setting-aboard a small rented cabin cruiser on a so called "holiday" could put you off boating for life (unless you want to see Hadworth Brick works and dash off a postcard). All in all it is a really interesting film and the unexpected ending leaves you thinking.

i watched this movie on TV in 1987 i recorded to video and watched it countless times. i was very lucky recently to be given a DVD copy.it is nearly 20 years since i have watched this comedy/drama and it did not disappoint me.

the story begins with two couples the guys are business partners. as soon as they step on the boat the bully husbands wife is not happy with anything about the boat she wants to go home .the tension builds from the first day.

the other business partner is a weak guy and as no guts whatsoever.

the movie really gets going when keith one of the partners goes back to his factory to settle a dispute.and leaves alistair in charge of the boat.

within minutes alistair has grounded the boat .they all think they have met a lucky mascot vince who comes to their rescue ,he refloats the boat and june invites him on the boat for a drink at the annoyance of keith her husband who says "we don't even know who this guy is" the story quickly unfolds as vince is a phsycopathic madman. ENJOY

My view of this is that it is about class though i do believe that the authors says otherwise. We have two middle class couples who own a factory and decide to take a break on the river cruising up to and no further to a place called Armageddon Bridge. The couples are polar opposites of each other one been bossy and outgoing and the other been weak and uptight. Along the way the bossy male character (Keith) and self appointed Skipper of the boat has to go back to the factory to sort out a strike that has taken place in their absence so here we have the workers vs the management again one could say working class vs middle class. Alistair the weak male stays behind with his wife and Keiths wife and is now reluctantly in charge of steering the boat which soon runs aground, with the help of a good Samaritan (Vince) or that's how it first looks Vince takes Keiths place in more ways than one.