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That Obstinate Bottle!

An early film blooper as HMS Suffolk, all dressed up and ready to launch, refuses to yield to the bottle.

Non-Fiction 1926 1 mins Silent

Overview

Ah, the old rubber bottle gag.... In unexpectedly comic scenes worthy of You've Been Framed, the Marchioness of Bristol (nee Alice Frances Theodora Wythes) makes heavy weather of the familiar ship launching ceremony. The champagne bottle intended to launch the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Suffolk at Portsmouth Docks stubbornly refuses to break - not once, but six times. Thankfully, the seventh swing, delivered with force and just a hint of exasperation by does the trick, to the relief of all.

HMS Suffolk's wilfulness proved more useful in action - some 12 years later she made a telling contribution to the sinking of the formidable German battleship the Bismarck.

Original title

That Obstinate Bottle! Topical Budget 756-1

Genres

Non-Fiction

Country

United Kingdom

Location

Portsmouth

Language

No Dialogue with English subtitles

Subjects

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