Tickle Me: Operation Snatch (1962)

British Poster

Operation Snatch, is a British comedy directed by Robert Day in black and white. Day was mostly a television director. Interestingly, it was co-produced by Peter O'Toole. It does not appear to have been a particularly well-regarded film, but since it starred the likes of Terry-Thomas, George Sanders, and Lionel Jeffries (along with Jocelyn), you would think that it would not be so incredibly difficult to find. However, it does not appear to have been released on home video anywhere in the world through the years, and I have not even seen any indication of someone having recorded it on TV after the advent of the VCR. It is the only feature length film with a confirmed appearance by Jocelyn that I have never been able to view. As a Jocelyn fan, it looks like her appearance is significant enough to make for interesting viewing, so let's hope that one day some company will see fit to release it on DVD.

Here's a synopsis of the film, as reflected on the back of a promotional flyer used for it in the U.S.

"Legend has it that if the Barbary apes ever leave Gibraltar, the British Empire will crumble. It is World War II, England is about to invade North Africa and the last male ape has died. The females have grown very listless and much against his will, Major Hobson, Intelligence Officer on the Rock is forced to call on Lt. "Piggy" Wigg, England's foremost authority on apes.

The apes must be removed to sick bay for observation and, as a stop-gap measure, Lt. Wigg is to train short men to cavort as apes on Gibraltar. The Germans, however, are suspicious and a male ape must be found. One is discovered in a German circus and Wigg, with his faithful orderly, Evans are sent off to kidnap it.

They are rowed into Germany from Switzerland and then deserted. They find the ape, drug it with a doped banana but now, must get back across the border. Using a pantomime horse as an escape hatch, they set off a stampeded of the circus horses across the bridge and then try to keep up with them.

As the horses go over the bridge, they go under safety; now they can rest. However, the legend is that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London...."

Jocelyn plays a character named Bianca Tabori, but I don't know how she fits into the plot.

Production on Operation Snatch started September 11, 1961 in Gibraltar before moving to Associated British Elstree studios and winding on November 3, 1961. The film opened in the UK in March 1962, with one report that I've seen from April showing a decent box office return. It premiered in the U.S. in some cities in mid-September of 1962, with a New York City opening on September 24, 1962. It appears to have generated respectable returns at the box office in the last quarter of 1962 and on into 1963 at various theaters running foreign films. It received a weak review, however, in the Kansas City Times on November 23, 1962. The reviewer (with no specific mention of Jocelyn), concluded that: "The idea is clever enough, but the film tries to stretch it beyond its potential. This leads to some pretty thin gags, the weakness of which is compounded by the introduction of all sorts of extraneous plot matter. Terry-Thomas, of course, is a very funny man. ... the other performers are never better than routine."

Here are the U.S. miltary (courtesy of emovieposter.com), one sheet, and half sheet posters, along with the lobby card set: