Holiday on the Buses (1973) Directed by Bryan Izzard

(Review originally written at 15 August 2006)

I guess this third 'on the buses' movie is a typical case of you either love this movie or you totally hate it. The humor is typical British, far from subtle, very sexist and incredibly simple and predictable. If you're into this sort of early '70's British humor, this movie will be a simple pleasure to watch. Everyone else is probably better off avoiding this movie.

I for one found the humor enjoyable but really, it really is purely a matter of taste, more than anything else. To me it the humor is comedy in its purest form, from the early decades of the 20th century, when film was a new medium, only set in a '70's time-frame. The situations are all very simple and predictable. Everything that can go wrong goes wrong. The story is non-present, or at least not the most important element of the movie. This is comedy in its most simple and perhaps also purest form. But no, that of course does not guarantee a good movie as well. "Holiday on the Buses" its simple humor certainly entertained me and kept sure that I was enjoying the movie but with my brains switched off, obviously.

This movie really doesn't have the most subtle or well thought out humor in it. The movie has a very overly present sexist undertone, in which all the woman are basically portrayed as lust-objects. The sort of Benny Hill kind of humor. All of the moments are also terribly simple and predictable but yet you still laugh at them since it simply is too ridicules and over-the-top all to not to do so.

Still "Holiday on the Buses" still work completely successful as a comedy since it lacks one important fundamental thing; Good main characters. The main characters in this movie are dirty, not so good looking old men. How are we supposed to like or feel for any of them or even sympathize for them? Because of this, the movie often falls flat as a comedy. It makes the movie its humor even more cruel and perhaps even offensive by todays standards. No way a movie like this could or would be made this present day.

Only for the most hardened fans of British humor. Everyone else, just skip it.

5/10