Review for Petticoat Pirates

When I think of Charlie Drake I always think of ‘My Boomerang won’t come back’, one of a mere half dozen singles on almost constant rotation in my home during the sixties. Full of classic Drake-isms (the mock posh voice, the baby ‘r’, the cheeky chuckle) Drake was an attractive comedian to kids as he had a child-like innocence and stood no taller than most.

Here we find him aboard a ship as a timid engine stoker who (pervily) gets his kicks watching Wrens exercise with the aid of his periscope. All seen as a bit of cheeky fun here of course. Caught up in a mutiny by Wrens fed up with never getting sea going action, he is one of a handful of men who are still on-board as the ladies sneak aboard to take over.


It’s a very slight, typical early sixties nod towards feminism (it’s all a lark really, bless ‘em). Think ‘Carry On Cabs’ but on naval ships. Charlie Drake does a half-decent turn though it must be said, when dressed as a Wren is as convincing a female as Bernard Bresslaw in ‘Cary On Again Doctor’. In short, not at all.



So you get some quite juvenile moments like when he appears in ladies clothing in the hold where all the men are imprisoned only to be chatted up by an unsuspecting officer, COP Nixon.

Nixon: Would you mind telling me your name?
Drake: Charlie.
Nixon (not yet realising): Charlie ... what a beautiful name. (Suddenly realising): Charlie??
Drake: Yerst ... I'm a boy.
Derisive laughter from the ratings at the petty officer's embarrassment.
Nixon (embarrassed and angry): Well ... get yer 'air cut!


You get the idea. The script is a bit rambling, the plot slight and the laughs a bit few and far between. Yet somehow, despite all this, it manages to retain a modicum of that British comedy cheeriness that makes this type of film so good for a rainy Sunday afternoon.


Glamorous Anne Heywood does a reasonable turn as Chief Office Anne Stevens who, after bombastically taking control of the ship, eventually learns that men are essential after all.





Fans of British comedy will be delighted that this has been released at all as it has previously only been available on VHS with dreadful 4:3 pan and scan transfers. It last aired on TV in the UK exactly a decade ago so this brand-new transfer to DVD from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio is quite a treat, even if the colour seems a bit washed out at times.



Apparently the film was something of a flop on its initial release and this may be because it couldn’t quite decide whether it was a children’s comedy (Drake’s comfort zone) or a serious social commentary. In the end it was neither. Drake also does better when seen in small doses.



Still, it’s always good to see classic British support actors like Cecil Parker do his ‘exasperated’ turn.
Shot with the co-operation of the Navy there are plenty of opportunities to see a contemporary ship of the day, surely a must for retired crew members!


Also included on the disc are stills and a trailer, as well as some publicity materials as PDF’s.