On the Fiddle
“Never have so few fiddled so many!”
Synopsis
Tricked into joining the RAF by a wily judge, wide boy Horace Pope sets his sights on the main chance, teams with slow-witted, good-hearted gypsy Pedlar Pascoe, and works up a lucrative racket in conning both his colleagues and the RAF. By means of various devious schemes Pope and Pascoe manage to avoid the front lines until they are sent to France - where they find themselves making unexpected and uncomfortably close contact with the enemy.
Top Cast
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Alfred Lynch
Horace Pope
Sean Connery
Pedlar Pascoe
Cecil Parker
Group Capt. Bascombe
Stanley Holloway
Mr. Cooksley
Alan King
Top Sgt. Buzzer
Eric Barker
Doctor
Barbara Windsor
Mavis
Bill Owen
Cpl. Gittens
John Le Mesurier
Hixon
Kathleen Harrison
Mrs. Cooksley
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Trowbridge
Patsy Rowlands
Evie
Terence Longdon
Air Gunner
Lance Percival
MacTaggart (Uncredited)
Kenneth J. Warren
Dusty
Anton Rodgers
Soldier in Canteen (Uncredited)
Jack Smethurst
Dai Tovey
Victor Maddern
1st Airman
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 21, 1965
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 23, 2018
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Cyril Frankel
- Screenplay & Story
- Harold Buchman
- Original Score
- Malcolm Arnold
- Original Title
- On the Fiddle
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Studios
- Coronado Productions, American International Pictures, Anglo-Amalgamated
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Cyril Frankel
Harold Buchman, R.F. Delderfield
Malcolm Arnold
Edward Scaife
Peter R. Hunt
Benjamin Fisz
Department Leadership Roster
Cyril Frankel
Director
Benjamin Fisz
Producer
Harold Buchman
Screenplay
Peter R. Hunt
Editor
Edward Scaife
Director of Photography
Malcolm Arnold
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for On the Fiddle.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring On the Fiddle.
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
Sean Connery 🇬🇧
BD Release: 1961-1965
Movies released in 4K Blu-ray format - 1961-1965
WWII
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Frequently Asked Questions About On the Fiddle
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is On the Fiddle about?
Tricked into joining the RAF by a wily judge, wide boy Horace Pope sets his sights on the main chance, teams with slow-witted, good-hearted gypsy Pedlar Pascoe, and works up a lucrative racket in conning both his colleagues and the RAF. By means of various devious schemes Pope and Pascoe manage to avoid the front lines until they are sent to France - where they find themselves making unexpected and uncomfortably close contact with the enemy.
Who directed On the Fiddle?
On the Fiddle was directed by Cyril Frankel.
Who stars in On the Fiddle?
The principal cast of On the Fiddle includes Alfred Lynch, Sean Connery, Cecil Parker, Stanley Holloway, Alan King.
When was On the Fiddle released and how long is it?
On the Fiddle was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
Who composed the musical score for On the Fiddle?
The original motion picture soundtrack for On the Fiddle was composed by Malcolm Arnold.
Is On the Fiddle based on a book or true story?
On the Fiddle is adapted from the following source material: Book: "R.F. Delderfield".
What is the age rating and content advisory for On the Fiddle?
On the Fiddle holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).