i told you i was ill: the life and legacy of Spike milligan

Director Cathy Henkel (and Spike Milligan) / 2005 / Australia

"We don't have a plan, so nothing can go wrong", the most famous comic of our times once declared.

I Told You I was Ill: The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan is an intimate portrait of comic genius and manic-depressive Spike Milligan, told largely through his three daughters, his brother and his third wife. Together they present a picture of a complex, visionary and loving man, who changed forever the face of English comedy and trampled on notions of decorum and deference. Spike's youngest daughter, Jane, takes us on this journey, tracing the Milligan family history from 19th-century vaudeville England via Burma and Ireland to backwater Australia through interviews, photographs and a collection of remarkable old home movies. Joanna Lumley, Eric Sykes and Michael Palin among others contribute to the professional portrait of Spike in this heart-felt tribute. Besides some wonderful insights into the comic master, the post-Spike family's dirty laundry also gets an airing.

Cathy Henkel will be attending the festival.


D/S Cathy Henkel P Jeff Canin, Cathy Henkel WS ABC Enterprises TD video/col/2005/88mins.

Cathy Henkel's films include Heros of Our Time (1991), The Man Who Stole My Mother's Face (MIFF 04).

Back To Index