Time, Gentlemen, Please! (1952): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1952, Time, Gentlemen, Please! is a comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert, running about 82 minutes.

What it’s about. Because of its high productivity and "almost" 100 per cent employment, the town of Hayhoe, England is expecting a visit from the Prime Minister. The "almost" is because of Dan Dance (Eddie Byrne), an old rogue who would rather drink and philosophize than work. The Village Council are determined to have a perfect record so they connive to have the old man put into the alms-house which has been unoccupied for many years, where he must abide by rules laid down 400 years ago. A new Vicar arrives and discovers that, because of the circumstances created by the Council, Dan Dance is entitled to 6,000 pounds a year at the expense of the village.

Who’s in it. Time, Gentlemen, Please! stars Eddie Byrne as Dan Dance, Jane Barrett as Sally, Robert Brown as Bill Jordan and Sid James as Eric Hace, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Time, Gentlemen, Please! sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Time, Gentlemen, Please! page.

If you liked it. Fans of Time, Gentlemen, Please! tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.