The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

1956 British film by Joseph Sterling

  • 1956 (1956)
Running time
27 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishBudget£4,500[1]Box office£45,000[1]

The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn (also known as Gone Goon) is a 1956 British short comedy film directed by Joseph Sterling and starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Dick Emery.[2] It was written by Harry Booth, Jon Penington and regular Goon show co-writer Larry Stephens, from a story by Stephens, with additional material by Sellers and Milligan.

It was made in November 1955 and released in 1956.[3][4]

Plot

Supposedly filmed in "Schizophrenoscope" ("the New Split-Screen"), it concerns Superintendent Quilt of Scotland Yard's attempts to retrieve a "Mukkinese Battle-Horn'" stolen from a London museum. Along the way he meets characters not dissimilar to Eccles, Henry Crun and Minnie Bannister from The Goon Show.

Cast

  • Peter Sellers as Inspector Quilt/Henry Crun/Sid Crimp et al.
  • Spike Milligan as Sergeant Brown/Eccles/Minnie et al.
  • Dick Emery as Nodule/Maurice Ponk
  • Doug Robinson as waiter
  • Pamela Thomas
  • Bill Hepper
  • Wally Thomas
  • Gordon Phillott

Production

The budget of £4,500 was raised from Archway Film Distributors (£1,500); Peter Weingreen, who worked with Michael Deeley and Harry Booth on The Adventures of Robin Hood (£1,500); and Joseph Sterling, who wanted to direct (£1,500). Peter Sellers was paid £900.[1]

Emery replaced Harry Secombe, who was too expensive for the film's low budget.[citation needed]

The titular battle horn prop was based on a serpent.[5]

Release

The film was unable to secure a release in the US but screened widely as a supporting short in British cinemas. Michael Deeley says it remains the most profitable film he was ever associated with, returning its cost ten times over.[1]

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "Its players work hard, but its humour, pretty crude, is mainly addressed to the lowbrows."[6]

The New York Times wrote: "It is a good thing Mr. Sellers and his helpers didn't try to stretch it for longer than a half hour. But within that time and with reservations ... it makes a lively little lark."[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Michael Deeley, Blade Runners, Deer Hunters and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: My Life in Cult Movies, Pegasus Books, 2009 p 17-20
  2. ^ "The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  3. ^ Scudamore, Pauline (1985). Spike Milligan: A Biography. London: Granada. ISBN 0-246-12275-7. p.173. Scudamore states the film was made by Richard Lester, but it is not clear from other sources that this was the case
  4. ^ Lewis, Roger (1995). The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. London: Arrow Books. ISBN 0-09-974700-6.
  5. ^ Bevan, Clifford (2000). The Tuba Family (2nd ed.). Winchester: Piccolo Press. p. 120. ISBN 1-872203-30-2. OCLC 993463927. OL 19533420M. Wikidata Q111040769.
  6. ^ "The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn". Kine Weekly. 468 (2540): 31. 19 April 1956 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ Crowther, Bosley (31 July 1962). "Screen: British 'Coming-Out Party':Comedy on Prisoners of War at the Plaza". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn at IMDb
  • The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn at AllMovie
  • Entire script for The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
  • The Goons films at The Goon Show website (archived)
  • The Goons films at The Telegoons website