Truly Dreadful Film

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Writer John Sullivan was a genius, there is no doubt about that. He gave the world so many laughs through 'Only Fools' and 'Just Good Friends', as well as being able to make us cry too.'Citizen Smith' was his first show, and although more patchy in terms of quality in comparison to the previously mentioned shows, contains lots of laugh out loud moments, with Robert Lindsay giving a fantastic performance as Wolfie Smith.It is Lindsay's performance that carries the show, though credit must go to Hilda Braid and the recently deceased Peter Vaughn (much missed in the final two series) who make up the ensemble.As with many comedies, it simply went on too long. Key actors were replaced and the plots begin to thin, especially after the 'glorious day' happened. But when it was good, 'Citizen Smith' was very good.

John Sullivan was working at the BBC as a scenery shifter when he came up with this amusing series about a would-be Marxist who doesn't seem to realise that the '60's are over. During a conversation with producer Dennis Main Wilson, Sullivan told him of a script he had written as a pilot for a sitcom entitled 'Citizen Smith'. Wilson snapped it up and ordered that it be put into production straight away. The pilot, broadcast as part of the 'Comedy Special' series on 12/04/77, was so well-received that a full series followed just seven months later.Robert Lindsay ( who up until this point was best-known for his role as Jakey Smith in ITV's 'Get Some In' ) played freedom fighter Wolfie Smith - leader of the Tooting Popular Front ( who really are not all that popular ). Members of the front include practising Buddhist Ken ( Mike Grady ), clinically depressed Tucker ( Tony Millan ) who according to Wolfie has had 'more kids than 'The Waltons'', violent nut-case Speed ( George Sweeney ) and his tarty girlfriend Desiree ( the gorgeous Anna Nygh ). Stephen Grief played local protection racketeer Harry Fenning but was replaced in the final series by David Garfield as Ronnie Lynch.Wolfie's girlfriend was the lovely Shirley Johnson ( played by Lindsay's then wife, the gorgeous Cheryl Hall ) who still lived at home with her parents - the cantankerous Charles ( who was played by three different actors. Artro Morris in the pilot, Peter Vaughan in series 1 & 2 and Tony Steedman in series 3 & 4 ) and dim-witted Florence ( the much missed Hilda Braid ). Later, Wolfie and Ken ended up lodging with them.The first two series boasted some very funny episodes such as 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?' ( Wolfie meets Shirley's parents for the first time ), 'The Hostage' ( Wolfie and the gang endeavour to kidnap an M.P but instead accidentally kidnap Fenning ) and 'Speed's Return' ( Speed is released from jail and is horrified to learn that his girlfriend may be pregnant ) but the final two series, plus the concluding special were rather below-par. Sullivan should have stopped when Hall decided to leave.I personally would not go as far as to say that 'Citizen Smith' was a particularly brilliant show, but it was fun, at first anyway. One episode was titled 'Only Fools & Horses', which went on to become the title of Sullivan's next sitcom. Anyone ever heard of it?

Citizen Smith was my favourite 70s sitcom.The first review on this gives an accurate picture of what it was about, and the people involved.Wolfie is one of lifes eternal losers, with visions of socialist political power (to the people).the most memorable scene I remember was when they launched a protest, and broke into the houses of parliament in order to vioce their disaproval, only to discover that all the MPs were on holiday.There are many similarities between 'Smith' and 'Only Fools & Horses' - the writing in both was superb.Perhaps the BBC & Robert Lindsay would consider a revival of this series, although I feel it is probably better left as it was - simply perfect!

Wolfie Smith is a fanatic who craves revolution. Leader of the Tooting Popular Front ( a Marxist political party which numbers six members), Wolfie is a wannabe freedom fighter who likes to call himself an "urban guerilla". He wants to overthrow the Capitalist oppressors of the working class and create a fair, equal and just society (with himself in charge). While he waits for the glorious day, he plays the guitar and sings his raucous songs, dressed in a Che Guevara T-shirt and a black beret with one star on it.Wolfie's attempts to seize power are thwarted time and time again, usually with hilarious consequences. Wolfie keeps a book containing a list of anyone who gets on the wrong side of him. Come the Glorious Revolution they'll be first against the wall, blindfold, last cigarette etc. But it's a very long list..."Citizen Smith" was written by John Sullivan, who went on to write the even funnier "Only Fools and Horses". This show contains characters with similar personalities. Wolfie Smith is a fast talker like Del-Boy, Ken is artistic like Rodney and Tucker is vague and confused like Grandad. "Citizen Smith" was a witty comedy from the 1970s that got better as it went along. The later series seemed funnier than the early episodes. Hopefully the show will be screened again. This is a classic.