The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn

The Case of the
Mukkinese Battle-Horn
Directed by Joseph Sterling
Produced by Harry Booth
Michael Deeley
Jon Penington
Written by Larry Stephens (original story and screenplay)
Harry Booth (screenplay)
Jon Penington (screenplay)
Peter Sellers (additional material)
Spike Milligan (additional material)
Starring Peter Sellers
Spike Milligan
Dick Emery
Music by Edwin Astley
Cinematography Brian Rhodes
Distributed by Archway Film Distributors
Release date
  • 1956 (1956)
Running time
 27 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Budget £4,500[1]
Box office £45,000[1]

The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn is a 30-minute comedy film starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Dick Emery. The film was made in November 1955, and released in 1956.[2][3]

Plot

Supposedly filmed in 'Schizophrenoscope' ("the New Split-Screen"), it concerns Inspector Quilt of Scotland Yard's attempts to retrieve a 'Mukkinese Battle-Horn' stolen from a London museum. Along the way he meets characters not dissimilar to Eccles, Henry Crun and Minnie Bannister from The Goon Show.

Production

This attempt to adapt Goon humour to the big screen was written by Harry Booth, Jon Penington and regular Goon show co-writer Larry Stephens, from a story by Stephens, with additional material by Sellers and Milligan. Emery replaced Harry Secombe, who was too expensive for the film's low budget.

The budget of £4,500 was raised from Archway Film Distributors (£1,500); Peter Weingreen, who worked with Michael Deeley and Harry Booth on The Adventures of Robin Hood (£1,500); and Joseph Sterling, who wanted to direct (£1,500). Peter Sellers was paid £900.[1]

Release

The film was unable to secure a release in the US but screened widely as a supporting short in British cinemas. Michael Deeley says it remains the most profitable film he was ever associated with, returning its cost ten times over.[1]

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 Michael Deeley, Blade Runners, Deer Hunters and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: My Life in Cult Movies, Pegasus Books, 2009 p 17-20
  2. ↑ Scudamore, Pauline (1985). Spike Milligan: A Biography. London: Granada. ISBN 0-246-12275-7. p.173. Scudamore states the film was made by Richard Lester, but it is not clear from other sources that this was the case
  3. ↑ Lewis, Roger (1995). The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. London: Arrow Books. ISBN 0-09-974700-6.


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