The Big Freeze is a 1993 featurette-length film written and directed by Eric Sykes. The action centres on mishaps involving a father and son plumbing team attending to business in sub-zero temperatures at a retirement home in Finland. Like other Sykes directorial vehicles, the piece is a silent comedy with a star cast - here including Bob Hoskins, John Mills, Donald Pleasence and Spike Milligan.
Synopsis
A silent comedy. Two accident-prone plumbers go to fix the plumbing at a home for retired gentle-folk on the coldest day of the year in Finland. Everything that can go wrong for these plumbers goes wrong.
Cast
Bob Hoskins as Sidney
Eric Sykes as Mr. Blick
Eila Roine as Matron
Donald Pleasence as Soup slurper
Raija Laakso as Louise
Sonja Lumme as Pretty Nurse
John Mills as Dapper Man
Spike Milligan as Der Schauspieler
Sylvi Salonen as The Flapper
Hellin Auvinen-Salmi as Old Lady
Helinä Viitanen as Zimmer Lady
Erkki Thil as Film Director
Gabriel Laszlo as Fencer with Wig
Hannes Anttila as Fencer
Gunnar Strommer as Man in Bath
Lasse Tiilkainen as Magician
Ransu Alhoniemi as Juggler
Mary Hayley Bell as Nursing Home Resident (uncredited)
Production
The film was shot in Hervanta and Teisko, both districts in Tampere, Finland.