Movie Overview
On the Buses is a quintessential British comedy from 1971 that captures the working-class humor of the era. Directed by Harry Booth, the film stars Reg Varney as the lazy, womanizing bus driver Stan Butler, alongside Doris Hare as his overbearing mother and Michael Robbins as his equally lewd co-worker, Jack. The story kicks into gear when the bus depot faces a staffing crisis, leading Inspector Blake to implement a controversial new policy: employing women as drivers. While the management celebrates the solution, the male bus crews are outraged, setting the stage for a series of slapstick confrontations as Stan and Jack attempt to sabotage the new employees.
The production expands on the popular television sitcom of the same name, bringing the beloved characters to the big screen with bigger stunts and location filming. The tone is light-hearted and bawdy, relying heavily on the period's signature Carry-on style of innuendo and farce. Despite the dated gender politics, the film remains a nostalgic favorite for fans of 1970s cinema. It performed surprisingly well at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of its year in the United Kingdom.
Critically, the movie holds a 6.0/10 rating on the Internet Movie Database, reflecting its status as a crowd-pleasing entry rather than a critical darling. Audiences looking to watch online can enjoy this slice of vintage comedy on Netflix. If you appreciate classic British humor and aren't deterred by old-fashioned attitudes, On the Buses offers a fun, chaotic trip down memory lane.
