Movie review - "Who Done It?" (1956) **1/2

An attempt to turn Benny Hill into a film star - it didn't work out, Hill wouldn't really find his feet as a screen performer until The Benny Hill Show - but points to producer Michael Balcon for giving him a shot. He had an eye for talent did Balcon.

This was one of the least Ealing comedies. It's got some A list talent behind the scenes - TEB Clarke wrote the script, Basil Dearden directed, Michael Relph helped produce.

The foundations are solid - Hill is an ice rink sweeper who wants to turn private eye and gets involved in a spy ring. That's fine. I wish they'd used the ice rink stuff more. Ditto Belinda Lee who is animated and fun as his friend - but why not integrate her into the story, be a spy/scientist's daughter/something. Ealing always struggled to include women into the action.

The film starts strong and ends strongly - particularly the end, with an extended chase scene that allows Hill to undertake multiple disguises, including in drag. He comes alive here - I think he was more comfortable in alter egos, and should have used more disguises during it (to be fair he does... maybe it's being in drag).

It's odd to see a young, relatively handsome Hill. Lee enters into things with good spirits. Strong support cast but very male. I mean it's a spy spoof, have female spies and traitors and stuff.