On The Buses (5 Stars)

In America, British sitcoms such as "Are You Being Served", "The Vicar of Dibley" and "Goodnight Sweetheart" have built loyal followings. Strangely, one of Britain's funniest sitcoms has never enjoyed the same success. "On The Buses" was a huge hit in the UK from 1969 to 1973, yet somehow it slipped under the American radar. Perhaps the early black and white episodes put people off. Whatever the reason, they're missing a comedy classic.

Hammer Films brought the series to the big screen in 1971, and unlike many television spin-offs, it feels completely at home as a feature film. The setting has changed and the buses wear different colours, but Stan Butler, Jack Harper and Inspector Blakey are exactly as fans remember them. More importantly, the film doesn't abandon the formula that made the television series such a success.

The title tells you everything you need to know. It's a film about buses. Stan is a driver, Jack is a conductor and Blakey is the long-suffering inspector. Even when the story wanders into Stan's chaotic home life or his hopeless attempts to impress attractive women, the buses are never far away. Every few minutes another bus rumbles across the screen, reminding you that this is a working comedy built around everyday life rather than glamorous adventures.

The main story concerns the arrival of female bus drivers, a prospect that horrifies Stan and Jack. Today the idea seems wonderfully old-fashioned, but that's part of the film's charm. The comedy isn't making a serious statement about gender politics; it's poking fun at men whose attitudes were already becoming outdated. Stan may spend his time chasing pretty conductors and bus drivers, but he's so hopelessly awkward that his romantic escapades are innocent rather than predatory. Reg Varney's natural likeability keeps the character on the right side of lovable.

The cast couldn't be better. Reg Varney and Bob Grant have effortless chemistry, while Stephen Lewis steals every scene as the permanently exasperated Blakey. Their performances capture everything that made the television series so popular.

Critics dismissed "On The Buses" as crude and unsophisticated, but audiences had the last laugh. It became one of the biggest British box office hits of 1971, outperforming the James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever" at the UK box office.

What makes the film so enduring isn't just the laughs. It captures a Britain that has largely disappeared. Stan and his family live in a modest working-class home where money is always tight, overtime is essential and life's little pleasures mean everything. It isn't a world of glamour or wealth, but one that feels warm, familiar and authentic. For anyone who grew up in a similar environment, these characters don't feel like sitcom creations; they feel like neighbours, friends or even members of your own family.

That's why "On The Buses" remains such a joy to watch. Beneath the jokes and the flirtation is a wonderfully affectionate portrait of everyday working-class Britain. It may never have conquered America, but for those who remember that world, it's one of the finest sitcom spin-offs ever made.

Success Rate:  + 25.8