Also known as The 90th Birthday Party, this one-take English comedy sketch is a long-running Christmas or New Year tradition in Nordic countries, Germany and a number of other places, though it's barely known in Britain.

Upper-class lady Miss Sophie is turning 90, but her friends have long since died, so her elderly, limping butler James does impressions of each in turn at her solo dinner party, consuming their shares of the drinks too. The humour is mostly based on the slapstick actions of the increasingly sozzled old serving-man, and actor Freddie Frinton's skill with accents - quite fun if you like these older types of gags.

It's rather repetitive so I can imagine it being more amusing if drunk and well-fed amongst family or friends. Repetition occurs within the sketch, which is about a repetitive annual ritual, and its showing has become a repetitive annual ritual; this circularity also makes me smile.

Norwegian Christmas tradition - broadcasted on national TV since way, way back - I must have seen this 30 times. I think I laugh out of habit now, but still can't help but admire Freddie Frinton who plays the butler. A truly great performance.

Here it is for you all.

"Dinner For One", I discovered as being watched as a yearly tradition on New Years Eve in most European countries mainly in Germany. It is a TV short that has since been so popular that it has spawned many different filmed versions and stage plays. The story in its simplicity is one of the most perfect set-ups for a slapstick comedy humor and it honestly could be told through pure visuals alone. Freddie Frinton as the intoxicated by the minute butler is certainly made for the role. While watching this you couldn't help but notice that Frinton and May Warden were kind of going through the motions and that they have performed this same routine numerous of times. But that was not necessarily a flaw as they have really perfected their routine and are completely in tune with one another. This was a very entertaining short that could be watched no matter what time of the year.

Der 90. Geburtstag oder Dinner for One
A Christmas and New Year cult classic in many European countries, this very funny short film is one single take.
Thank you to Jacob for reminding us all of the film. The introduction is in German, but the story itself is in English.

Silly. In a good way.

Liebes Tagebuch...
Hat man den unverwüstlichen Fernsehklassiker zu Kindertagen oft genug gesehen, kann man ihn auch nach einigen vielen Jahren der Abstinenz noch problemlos mitbeten und stets Sekunden vorher erahnen, was gleich geschehen wird, wie und ob Freddie Frinton gleich über das Tigerfell stolpern wird, welches Getränk Miss Sophie zu welchem Essen wünscht und wie ihr Butler mit ihr darauf anstoßen muß.

Mal abgesehen, daß das alles Kult und unerschütterliche deutsche Fernsehgeschichte ist, funktioniert der Sketch auch an sich sehr gut, steigert konsequent seinen Humor und seine Skurrilität und erfreut auch dann, wenn man die Bildregie genauer betrachtet, die bei dem Mitschnitt nicht jedes Details ausreichend genau einfangen konnte.

Also known as The 90th Birthday Party, this one-take English comedy sketch is a long-running Christmas or New Year tradition in Nordic countries, Germany and a number of other places, though it's barely known in Britain.

Upper-class lady Miss Sophie is turning 90, but her friends have long since died, so her elderly, limping butler James does impressions of each in turn at her solo dinner party, consuming their shares of the drinks too. The humour is mostly based on the slapstick actions of the increasingly sozzled old serving-man, and actor Freddie Frinton's skill with accents - quite fun if you like these older types of gags.

It's rather repetitive so I can imagine it being more amusing if drunk and well-fed amongst family or friends. Repetition occurs within the sketch, which is about a repetitive annual ritual, and its showing has become a repetitive annual ritual; this circularity also makes me smile.

"Dinner For One", I discovered as being watched as a yearly tradition on New Years Eve in most European countries mainly in Germany. It is a TV short that has since been so popular that it has spawned many different filmed versions and stage plays. The story in its simplicity is one of the most perfect set-ups for a slapstick comedy humor and it honestly could be told through pure visuals alone. Freddie Frinton as the intoxicated by the minute butler is certainly made for the role. While watching this you couldn't help but notice that Frinton and May Warden were kind of going through the motions and that they have performed this same routine numerous of times. But that was not necessarily a flaw as they have really perfected their routine and are completely in tune with one another. This was a very entertaining short that could be watched no matter what time of the year.

Der 90. Geburtstag oder Dinner for One
A Christmas and New Year cult classic in many European countries, this very funny short film is one single take.
Thank you to Jacob for reminding us all of the film. The introduction is in German, but the story itself is in English.

Norwegian Christmas tradition - broadcasted on national TV since way, way back - I must have seen this 30 times. I think I laugh out of habit now, but still can't help but admire Freddie Frinton who plays the butler. A truly great performance.

Here it is for you all.

Watch a man get plastered in 11 minutes.

EVERY.CHRISTMAS.NIGHT.ON.PUBLIC.TELEVISION....... classic though and fun to watch.

it's so dumb :D