The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970)

Actors: Arthur Lovegrove (actor), Arthur Lowe (actor), Julian Glover (actor), Denholm Elliott (actor), Norman Bird (actor), Graham Crowden (actor), Roland Culver (actor), Ronald Fraser (actor), Jonathan Cecil (actor), Graham Chapman (actor), John Cleese (actor), Peter Cook (actor), Martin Boddey (actor), Ronnie Corbett (actor), Guy Middleton (actor),

Plot: Fresh-faced young Michael Rimmer worms his way into an opinion poll company and is soon running the place. He uses this as a springboard to get into politics, and in the mini-skirted flared-trousered world of 1970 Britain starts to rise through the Tory ranks.

Keywords: character-name-in-title, efficiency-expert, female-nudity, poll, satire, see-through-panties
Genres: Comedy,

Quotes:

Mrs. Ferret: Have you been fired?::Ferret: [brushing it off] Fired? [laughs] Hahaha! Fired? Hahahaha [more nervous now]::Mrs. Ferret: Then why is the car for sale? [we see the car through the house window; in the side window there is a crudely written sign saying FORSALE]::Ferret: Oh that? That's a mistake. That's one of Rimmer's cockups. That should read Fors Ale. A new beer we're advertising. [as giving a slogan] Fors Ale - keeps you hearty and hale.::Mrs. Ferret: Well I've never heard of it.::Ferret: And you may never! Very hush hush.

Ferret: The survey shows that... [realizing the survey asked the wrong question]... it shows that 90% of English families do not eat boot polish for breakfast.

Michael Rimmer: [schmoozing] Hugh, I loved your speech on abortion. It was really gorgeous.

Priest: Have you been able to find time for the survey in regard to the declining attendance in England's churches?::Michael Rimmer: Yes, we have.::Priest: We've tried everything, you know... cutthroat bingo, hallucinogens in the wafers, neon lights for the graveyards, chapels on wheels, fifty-fifty drawings after communion...::Michael Rimmer: Really?::Priest: [grabbing hold of his vestments] And these clothes are a bit out-of-date for the 1960s.::Michael Rimmer: Yes, well, we've done a great deal of research on the results of our religious polls and I believe we have discovered the true root of the problem.::Priest: What would that be?::Michael Rimmer: God.::Priest: I had a nasty suspicion it was that.::Michael Rimmer: It's just that people have a hard time believing in Him. So, get rid of the God and you'll do just fine.::Priest: Interesting. Sort of an "Our Father who *might be* in heaven"...::Michael Rimmer: Yes, very good.

Michael Rimmer: [after seeing Fromage faint] What's the matter with Fromage?::Pumer: Oh, these recent sex surveys have him worn out.

Priest: [on a television interview] I have nothing against Buddhism, per se. It is possible for people to approach God in a great many ways... but there is no need to be silly about it!

Steven Hench: Mr Blocket, you had been on rather acrimonious terms with the late Prime Minister::Blocket: We had our differences::Steven Hench: On one occasion, indeed on several occasions, you described him as a two-faced weasel-eyed git.::Blocket: In the rough and tumble of parliamentary debate things are said that can often be misinterpreted but there was a lot of warmth there.

Ranjit X: Don't let's go into bourgeois things like money! Talk to my agent!

Old woman at party conference: [heckling] What about the Old Age Pension?::Tom Hutchinson: Don't talk to me about "unemployment", young man! I was unemployed before you were born!

Steven Hench: [In radio studio] How do you feel about the violent heckling which punctuated your speech?::Tom Hutchinson: I am not saying that the Labour Party was *responsible* for this disgraceful episode. But I will say this - it did seem to be *organised*. [Looks at Michael Rimmer through studio glass]