Distributor:
Cinema Club - 2|Entertain Certificate: 15 | 240
minutes | Region 2 Available to buy Writers: Jimmy Perry,
David Croft Extras: Yes
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Windsor
Davies, George Layton, Michael Bates, Melvyn Hayes, Don Estelle, Donald
Hewlett,
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
“meet
the gang cos the boys are here,
the boys are to entertain you”
“SHUUTTT
UUUPPP”
Having
created a true gem with Dad’s
Army writers Jimmy Perry and
David Croft stuck with world war
two for their next venture, this
time transplanting the action to
the Indian subcontinent and the
exploits of the Royal Artillery
Concert Party.
Regimental
Sergeant Major Williams (a majestic Windsor Davies) rules the boys with
a rod of iron determined to drill them to perfection, the boys though
would sooner be putting on their make up (literally in the case of
Melvyn Hayes’s “Gloria” Beaumont) and preparing for the show they
put on each week; In this first season George Layton’s Solly Solomon
organises the show (Layton actually soon quit the show preferring to
concentrate on writing) but it’s the ensemble playing of the whole
cast that makes the series such a huge joy, because it hasn’t been
subjected to the endless re-runs that Dad’s Army has it is probably
less well remembered than it should be but because of the lack of
repeats it also means that it comes up fresh as a Daisy.
It’s
interesting looking at the class divisions within the platoon too, the
CO’s (Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles) are out of touch and the
mostly working class boys are wilting in the heat whilst Michael
Bates’s Rangi Ram is the servant who hears everything and misses
nothing.
For
many years two episodes of this first series were believed lost for ever
in one of the BBC’s many unwise early seventies junking sortees
however the two episodes have been tracked down thanks to an Australian
who recorded the shows onto VHS, these two episodes can now be seen for
the first time in many years. You’ll know which ones they are as they
still include the Channel 7 idents which appeared at the shows start,
very cute actually and a big pat on the back to Cinema Club for being
prepared to include the episodes even though they are not in pristine
condition, better though to have them in watchable condition than not
have them at all.Excellent
stuff.
ANY
SPECIAL FEATURES?
The
two previously missing now found episodes are included as the extras
package.
