Dad's Army Page 9

Or James Stewart, dropping bombs on Hamburg and then making heart warming film It's A Wonderful Life. Odd combination, I suppose, yes.

Then you got John Wayne and Errol Flynn making every war film going but taking no part in the war itself.

It's interesting that those who fought seem to have a radically diferent take to those who didn't.

Quote: Aaron @ June 6 2011, 7:32 PM BST

Yeah, because no one ever talks about Press For Time or The Early Bird, whilst they're chattering about ... uh. What was it called?

Those Norman Wisdom films were and are brilliant! No question on the matter. P and P were good too.

Jones was pivotal to the success of Dad's Army. In most episodes, the comedy revolves around him in some way. Technically, he's probably the most important character, overall. I think if you are drafting such a sitcom as a writer, what you are most in need of is a Jones, a slapstick fool who can turn the episode.

In the more subtle DA episodes, it's Mainwaring and Wilson who come to the fore, but in the bulk of the more physical ones, it is Jones who is at the centre. I love both types of episode, but they can be quite different from each other. That was Dad's Army.

Quote: sootyj @ June 7 2011, 7:40 AM BST

It's interesting that those who fought seem to have a radically diferent take to those who didn't.

That's very true and like politicians it is the armchair warriors who find it easier to support sending young men off to war as well as questioning the patriotism of people with distinguished military records who oppose them.

Quote: youngian @ June 7 2011, 9:34 AM BST

as well as questioning the patriotism of people with distinguished military records who oppose them.

I think most politicians who have done this have usually come a cropper themselves because of it. And most disgusting of all are those US 'eagles' who dodged their Vietnam War drafts.

I believe beligerents in the US who never served are called "Chicken Hawks"

a fab insult.

Jar Head another good Gulfwar film.

Should be Chicken Shite Hawks.

And to shoehorn in a British comedy reference, the last Iraq war film I saw, Route Irish, had a fine supporting role from John Bishop.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ June 7 2011, 9:45 AM BST

I think most politicians who have done this have usually come a cropper themselves because of it. And most disgusting of all are those US 'eagles' who dodged their Vietnam War drafts.

It's 'hawks' and none of them dodged the draft... they just had more pressing matters at home to get on with, like Pvt. Walker.

Just been watching the first series of this and was mightily impressed with how it hit the ground running. The very first episode is textbook on how to set up situation and character dynamics in one pithy story.

Pity they could only find three episodes of series 2, though.

Anyone know how come tonight's episode had not been screened for forty years? It looked to be in too good nick to be a lost episode, so was it just sensitivity over the IRA storyline?

I've just finished watching all 9 seasons. Brilliant, brilliant show. The only criticism I could make is that Hodges and The Verger were played by such awful actors. I was actually cringing at their performance in Gorilla Warfare.

Anyway, I've noticed people mentioning an episode titled 'My Brother & I.' It appears to not be in the collection I have *ahem* acquired. What season is it from?

I wouldn't say Hodges and the Verger were any worse than Mainwaring or Godfrey. Cliches maybe and both very experienced actors.

Quote: jphellpool @ July 27 2012, 7:06 PM BST

Anyway, I've noticed people mentioning an episode titled 'My Brother & I.' It appears to not be in the collection I have *ahem* acquired. What season is it from?

It's not. It's the 1975 Christmas special, between Series 8 and 9. There was a special again in 1976, still between Series 8 & 9, called The Love Of Three Oranges.

Can I point you here? Lots of lovely extras. https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/dads_army/buy/507/dads_army_the_christmas_specials_dvd/