Mr Benn - The Red Knight

Mr Benn - The Red Knight

'Mr Benn' made his debut on BBC One on Thursday 25th February 1971 at 1.30 pm. Other programmes for children that day included 'Jackanory : Littlenose The Hero' (as read by John Grant) and 'The Magic Roundabout' with the unique narration of the much-missed Eric Thompson. Oh, and apparently 'Scooby-Doo Where Are You!' (that's the punctuation used in the title sequence, so don't blame me?) is "a suspense-filled cartoon series", in case you didn't know...

Episode One of 'Mr Benn' is 'The Red Knight' (listed in 'Radio Times' as 'Red Knight Story') and the famous rotating title sequence gives us several clues as to where the series may go in weeks to come. I like to think that some of the images from the titles are actually publicity photos taken before the actual episodes were filmed, although if there are minor differences in the Wizard's sleeves here compared to later, I really cannot be bothered to check...

(Actually, I looked and they are slightly different!)

Incidentally, many years ago at a convention someone had drawn a 'Doctor Who' version of the title sequence for 'Mr Benn'  which I asked Brian Blessed to sign. I'm not sure many people can claim to have duetted with Brian singing a version of the 'Mr Benn' theme tune, but that's what happened to me...

Ray Brooks wastes no time in setting up the Benniverse (nothing to do with 'Crossroads' as far as I can tell!) as we take a trip to number 52 Festive Road. There's a coal lorry being unloaded (that dates it a bit) and two boys are playing with wooden swords, like you do.

Our first sight of our hero (who looks oddly naked without his bowler hat on) is of him receiving a letter from the postman, inviting him to a Fancy Dress party. Mr Benn is keener on the first two words than the last one, so goes on a quest to find some special togs.

Interestingly, the Costume Shop we all know and love is not the first place he tries, heading instead for larger establishments. Whether he can be seen exploring Grace Brothers I leave to your imagination, but I'd love to see Mr Grainger insisting that the "armour will ride up with wear, sir!"...

I don't know who arranged the dummies in the window of the next shop he visits, but the ones on the left look very acrobatic. This shot is also the first time we see Mr Benn's memorable walk, always shot from the side and featuring his strangely rigid legs flailing about like billy-oh...

But there is little in the way of Fancy Dress to be found in this part of town, only ordinary everyday clothes. Eventually, in a back lane, we stumble across "a little shop with all sorts of interesting things to wear"... And yes, there's the Red Knight costume in the window, hurrah!

The Shop Keeper appears, and as if by magic, Ray Brooks' sound level changes on the DVD. So whether it was edited into the original episode late in production, or has since been repaired from a different source, I'm not sure. But it does stick out like a sore thumb if you listen for it...

Matt Smith fans should, of course, note the fez and bow tie as Mr Benn is invited to try on the costume.

Now we all know that at this point we should pass through the second door in the Fitting Room to this week's adventure, but the original motivation for this act is a bit unclear. It could lead to a broom cupboard for all we know. But you cannot fight against the format, and with not even a mention of Narnia, we cut to a rocky landscape with some mysterious smoke rising in the distance. That rock on the right looks a bit suggestive, but maybe that's not what it's all about.

The smoke is coming from a rather unhappy dragon, though Mr Benn is a little dim at first, thinking it's a bloke in a costume. I'm not quite sure what's happening with our lead character's leg at this point - it does look a trifle painful to sit in that position for any great length...

The dragon assumes the Red Knight has been sent to kill him, but thankfully this series shares its morality with the works of Oliver Postgate and dragons are not necessarily the bad guys.

The dragon had previously been employed lighting fires for people and was loved by the local King, but a Match Seller had framed the dragon for arson have the poor thing had been banished. This is depicted in a short sequence of images that actually make your quite emotional at the injustice on display, but then we're very fond of dragons in our house. (And Lisa sometimes compares Martha Cat to Toothless from 'How To Train Your Dragon')

Thankfully, Mr Benn is on hand to sort everything out and restore the status quo. There's a bit of to-ing and fro-ing in the countryside with stuff in the foreground carefully placed so as to reduce the need to animate lots of legs.

Eventually, the dragon becomes the King's Personal Fire-lighter and the Match Seller has to give everyone Free Matches For Life as a punishment for his shady behaviour.

When everything is resolved, a feast is prepared, but the Shop Keeper whisks Mr Benn away as we're running out of time in the episode.

As usual, Mr Benn declines to actually hire the outfit - Lord knows how the shop stays in business! We return to Festive Road and there's a memento of the adventure, this time in the form of a rather attractive box of matches with a picture of the dragon on it.

C.S Lewis meets H.G. Wells meets 'Quantum Leap' - that's 'Mr Benn'!

(By Andrew Trowbridge)