Johnny Morris back in another ramble

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33533, 14 May 1974, Page 4

Johnny Morris back in another ramble

Portly travelogue king Johnny .Morris was back in his best style on Sunday evening with the first of a new series, “Follow the Rhine.” Although his programme is obviously geared to viewers in Britain — he was happy to amble in the Swiss Alps and dream of Wolverhampton — it has the universal appeal of being relaxed and different.

By his skilful personal touch, Morris is able to convey the impression that only you and he are involved in this trip of discovery, and that they, the tourists, never see nor do the interesting things you both strike on the journey.

He does, however, quite inexcusably ignore the culture of the place, customs and differences in human behaviour. Ever noticed how the

gestures or the actions of people filmed, and for whom dialogue in folksey British terms is supplied, often don’t quite fit? It is much easier, of course, to make it all homely, like, and perhaps Johnny Is making his contribution to a wider European community by Showing the British how like them the Europeans are.

Anyway, it has to be full marks for Morris’s perception and eye to detail. One delightful sequence featured the Franciscan friar for whom Johnny supplied the mild-mannered protestations that he was not going to rob a bank.

Full marks too for his comment about the pure air not harming the centuriesold buildings, and for speculating on what will happen as a result of the thousands of cars which speed into the Alps from all over Europe on wide highways. Johnny Morris’s jaunt down the Rhine should be well worth following for he explores not only the course of the river itself, but the countryside and towns around it. And. who knows, it might get a few of us out of our own backyards and over to Europe to make the trip ourselves. * * >1:

The other new series to begin on Sunday evening’ was the Harry Secombe Show. As an unashamed Goon fan, I am hopelessly biassed in favour of the fat

funny man who sings and clowns his way through a mixed offering. Some of Harry’s gags are definitely laboured, and these always seems to be the earthy ones. The guest artists hardly provided sparkling entertainment and the Band of the Welsh Guards looked rather out of place in the glittering stage setting and lights. Even the flashes of old glory film did not help a great deal. As always the show relied heavily on Secombe himself and here and there, in the sketches. Harry sparked up with the humour that has made him famous. And it was good to see his old partner, talented Julian Orchard, back in business with him. “Country Calendar” was full of interest for Canterbury farming viewers with the fascinating film featuring the “good old days.” This provided ample evidence of the way in which modern machinery has indeed resulted in changing a way of life. It was well worth screening. — K.C. Special service A special service will beheld in Christchurch at the Christchurch Cathedral for the combined Commonwealth societies on May 26, to commemorate Commonwealth Day. The preacher will be the Rev. W. Hendrie, chaplain of St Andrews College.