Waste of time

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Morecambe and Wise have become a much loved comedy duo in Britain mainly because the same few BBC Christmas Specials get constantly repeated. As someone remarked, if they were so good why are we not seeing the rest of their output?However it was only a matter of time that we see the formation of their beginnings as a partnership in 1941, a friendship that lasted over 40 years. It is undoubtedly a charming story, well acted by both leads that tells the story of these young performers and the beginnings of this famous comedy act until they launch their television careers although it would be some time before they would make it big on television.Vic Reeves and Victoria Wood play Eric Morecambe's parents although Ernie Wise's parents are not featured. There is nothing much earth shattering here, a tale told well with some sentimentality and stereotypes but despite the acting it is not always entirely memorable.

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise were for decades Britain's best-loved comedy duo. From humble beginnings in the last years of variety, they worked their way up through the theater, then on to television, radio and stardom. Jonny Campbell's biodrama contains two remarkable impersonations of the two comedians from Daniel Rigby (as Morecambe) and Bryan Dick (as Wise). They have both the vocal and physical mannerisms spot-on, and make an admirable double-act in their own right. As a piece of drama, however, ERIC & ERNIE founders on its clichés; during the wartime sequences, we have to hear snatches of Winston Churchill and King George VI speaking, complete with the obligatory air-raid siren; in the variety theaters where the comedy due ply their trade, there has to be the smoke-filled dressing-rooms and the fat theater manager (Ted Robbins) smoking a cigar. And don't forget the extracts from the classic backstage musical from 1933 - FORTY-SECOND STREET. And to cap it all, we have Victoria Wood playing Eric Morecambe's mother as a dominant figure incorporating every single stereotype about the Northern English woman, complete with full-strength cigarette hanging from the side of her mouth. She washes the front steps of a house, makes Sunday lunch and bosses her hapless husband George (Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves) around. The quintessential Nora Batty-type figure (from Roy Clarke's LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE), all she lacks are the cheap stockings and the pinafore permanently strapped round her waist. It's a shame that such potentially suggestive material should have been approached in so slipshod a manner; there was ample opportunity for the director and production team to recreate the world of the last days of variety, in which touring acts toured Britain to unappreciative audiences, most of whom were more interested in the nudes that often came on between the comedy acts.

Like nearly everyone in the UK I am a huge fan of Morecambe and Wise. I truly believe that they were probably the greatest comedy double act ever. So I watched Victoria Woods biography of Eric and Ernie s early years with a little trepidation. I really shouldn't have worried. The BBC have obviously pulled out all the stops. Eric and Ernie is a master class in how to honour two show biz legends. The writing, direction and especially the performances were simply perfection. Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick were spot on. They managed to show the friendship between Eric and Ernie without lapsing into parody. Special mention should be made of Vic Reeves who played Eric's dad, George. The part was played with quiet humour and dignity and Victoria wood was especially good as Eric's pushy mother. The only reason that I have given Eric and Ernie 9 out of 10 is that I had a small pang of regret when the credits rolled. I really wished that I could had maybe half an hour more. maybe showing more of the great years of Morecambe and Wise. Maybe one day they could make a sequel, but only if its up to this standard.

Eric and Ernie is an accurate portrayal of the early lives of John Eric Bartholomew and Ernest Wiseman, who became household names as the popular double act Morecambe and Wise in the '60s. The story starts just before the duo met and traces their relationship through until the beginning of their successful television careers. It is told with great love and reverence though does not leave out the initial animosity felt by Eric towards the slightly older and somewhat arrogant Ernie who was already a successful child performer, nor his dislike of dancing lessons. The only significant omission, in my view, was their separation during the war when the friends were conscripted and Ernie joined the Merchant Navy while Eric was sent down the mines as a Bevin Boy to help the war effort. Eric's parents are portrayed with great tenderness by Viv Reeve and Victoria Wood. Casting two northern comics for these roles was genius as they are brought to life as natural humorists without falling into the trap of casting Eric's mother, Sadie, as simply a domineering stage mum. Ernie's own family come to life by the fact of being completely absent from the tale. There are no great surprises for anyone who knows of their early lives and careers nor any revelations or secrets revealed but it tells a fascinating tale of how two men who became comedic partners as child performers could have kept their act and their friendship fresh and vibrant throughout their acquaintance and comic careers. It is not over sentimental and is unlikely to make you cry, unless it is as a result of the laugh out loud moments with Eric's off the cuff wit and banter with his friend. I can recommend this portrayal to any fan of Morecambe and Wise - no childhood illusions will be shattered here. This is also a good introduction to anyone who does not know their work. I hope it will inspire people to find their old recordings of their various shows though you might want to miss out their early TV experience in Running Wild.