Dad's Army

Dad's Army is a 1971 British war comedy film and the first film adaptation of the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army (1968–1977). Directed by Norman Cohen, it was filmed between series three and four and was based upon material from the early episodes of the television series. The film tells the story of the Home Guard platoon's formation and their subsequent endeavours at a training exercise. The film version of the television series comprises the following cast members: Arthur Lowe (Captain George Mainwaring), John Le Mesurier (Sergeant Arthur Wilson), Clive Dunn (Lance Corporal Jack Jones), John Laurie (Private James Frazer), Arnold Ridley (Private Charles Godfrey), Ian Lavender (Private Frank Pike) and James Beck (Private Joe Walker). Plot 1940 – Operation Dynamo has just taken place. From the newly conquered French coastline, a Wehrmacht colonel looks out over the English Channel with powerful binoculars. Surveying the white cliffs of Dover, he spies Godfrey emerging from a lavatory. Godfrey joins the rest of his platoon, who are defiantly waving the Union Flag. The colonel fumes contemptuously, "How can the stupid British ever hope to win?!" One morning, George Mainwaring, the manager of the Walmington-on-Sea branch of Martins Bank, and his chief clerk, Arthur Wilson, listen to Anthony Eden making a radio broadcast about forming the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). At the local police station chaos ensues because there is nobody to organise the enrolment of the men. Characteristically, Mainwaring takes charge and after commandeering the local church hall he registers the assembled volunteers, with weapons being inspected. The local platoon is eventually formed with Mainwaring in command as captain, Wilson as his sergeant and Jack Jones as the lance-corporal, plus Frazer, Godfrey, Pike and Walker as privates. With no weapons or training, the platoon is initially forced to improvise, using devices invented and assembled by Jones. These invariably backfire or malfunction with disastrous consequences. The chaos includes an anti-aircraft rocket launcher blowing up a farmer's barn and a one-man tank made from a cast iron bathtub rolling into the river with Private Joe Walker still inside. The platoon secures uniforms and, eventually, weapons. Following the evacuation from Dunkirk, the LDV is renamed the Home Guard.